Former Bush administration Deputy Counsel John Michael Farren is enjoying his calmer, post-political private sector life in Connecticut so much that last night he just went ahead and beat the crap out of his wife with a flashlight before trying to strangle her to death and ultimately kill himself. PROBLEM HOWEVER: both he and his wife are still alive! Farren is currently being held on $3 million bail, which is so much money. Heappears to have been in the Bush White House's second salary bracket, so... eh, not gonna cut it. [Greenwich Time]