Ex-communications director for Iowa Dems apologizes for NYC picture

A former communications director for the Iowa Democratic Party apologized Sunday for an Instagram picture taken in front of a gas-explosion site in New York City's East Village, after getting bashed by the NY Post and on social media.

In an email to The Des Moines Register, Christina Freundlich said she was "deeply sorry for my careless and distasteful post."

"It was inconsiderate to those hurt in the crash and to the city of New York," said Freundlich, who left the Iowa Democratic Party earlier this month. "What happened last week in the East Village is not to be taken lightly and I regret my course of action."

The picture on The NY Post website shows her in front of the site of a Thursday blast that destroyed two buildings and severely damaged two others. Sunday, officials in New York discovered two bodies at the site.

The article, which is headlined "Heartless visitors mug for selfies at East Village blast site," shows a variety of selfies from people outside the explosion site, which several social media and blog commentators noted as "too soon" and "disgusting without words."

The NY Post critiques the photos, saying, "Self-absorbed jerks are treating the East Village gas-explosion site like a tourist attraction, shooting grinning selfies of themselves even as rescuers search for life in the ruins where two bodies might still be buried."