( CNN ) -- Andrew Breitbart , the conservative blogger whose posting of a sexually explicit photo of former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner led to the congressman 's downfall , has died , his attorney confirmed Thursday . He was 43 . Joel Pollak , editor-in-chief and in-house counsel for Breitbart 's website , Breitbart.com , posted a statement confirming his death . `` Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles , '' the statement read . `` We have lost a husband , a father , a son , a brother , a dear friend , a patriot and a happy warrior . '' Ed Winter , a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner , said Breitbart was pronounced dead 19 minutes after midnight at UCLA Medical Center . An autopsy is planned for Friday , Winter said , but the Los Angeles Police Department said it is not investigating the circumstances of his death . Compassion and politics : Strange bedfellows . Breitbart was the first to post Weiner 's infamous Twitter photos last year , in which the married congressman appeared barechested and in his underpants in pictures sent to a woman online . Weiner eventually stepped down amid the scandal . Breitbart 's regular appearances on FOX News , his websites and his speeches to conservative groups made him a star on the right and a villain to the left . Republican presidential candidates quickly responded to news of Breitbart 's death . Former Sen. Rick Santorum called him a `` powerful force '' who was `` constantly out there driving and pushing . '' `` What a huge loss , in my opinion , to our country and certainly to the conservative movement , '' Santorum said . Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted : `` Andrew Breitbart was the most innovative pioneer in conservative activist social media in America . He had great courage and creativity . '' And former Massachusetts Gov . Mitt Romney called Breitbart a `` brilliant entrepreneur , fearless conservative , loving husband and father . '' Breitbart was a driving force in the conservative tea party movement . In a posting on the Tea Party Nation website , blogger Judson Phillips wrote that Breitbart was an `` amazing patriot '' who `` relished fighting those who would destroy this great country . '' Texas Gov . Rick Perry , a former GOP presidential contender , said Breitbart `` fought for what he believed in , exposing government corruption and media bias . His spirited voice will be missed , but not forgotten . '' Breitbart came under heavy criticism in 2010 for posting an edited and incomplete video of a speech by Agriculture Department employee Shirley Sherrod , who is black , appearing to say she discriminated against a white farmer looking for assistance . Sherrod was forced to resign over the video , which appeared on another of Breitbart 's websites , BigJournalism.com . A full version of the speech showed that Sherrod had assisted the farmer . The department later offered her job back when it was clear she had been misrepresented . Sherrod issued a brief statement Thursday saying only she was surprised by the news and that her prayers go out to Breitbart 's family . Opinion : How Andrew Breitbart changed news . `` The news of Mr. Breitbart 's death came as a surprise to me when I was informed of it this morning . My prayers go out to Mr. Breitbart 's family as they cope during this very difficult time . '' Breitbart also posted video of a sting operation against the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now , or ACORN , which showed conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute seeking advice on how to set up a brothel . The video prompted a groundswell of action against the organization , including a limited investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and a slashing of funds from the federal government and several states . ACORN went bankrupt and closed its doors . Breitbart got his start helping to run the original right-wing online media behemoth the Drudge Report and helped launch The Huffington Post before founding his own websites . Drudge Report founder Matt Drudge on Thursday said Breitbart was a `` constant source of energy , passion and commitment '' in the site 's early days and that the two `` shared a love of headlines , a love of the news , an excitement about what 's happening . '' The statement on Breitbart.com Thursday included a portion of the new conclusion he wrote to his book , `` Righteous Indignation '' : . `` I love my job . I love fighting for what I believe in . I love having fun while doing it . I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report . I love fighting back , I love finding allies , and -- famously -- I enjoy making enemies . `` Three years ago , I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website . I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in . I 've lost friends , perhaps dozens . But I 've gained hundreds , thousands -- who knows ? -- of allies . At the end of the day , I can look at myself in the mirror , and I sleep very well at night . '' CNN 's Stan Wilson , Mark Preston , Richard Allen Greene , and Rachel Clarke contributed to this report .
Breitbart was known for posting the Anthony Weiner Twitter photos last year . He was also criticized for an edited clip of federal worker Shirley Sherrod . He was a star on the right and a villain to the left . Breitbart got his start at the Drudge Report .