Washington Post classical music critic Tim Page ripped DC Councilman and former Mayor Marion Barry in a widely-distributed company email recently, calling Barry a “crack head” and “useless.”

The trouble began with an email from Barry’s Communication staff that went out as a “blast” to several dozen reporters and media organizations. Page received a copy of the Barry email even though he doesn’t cover the former Mayor or the DC government and apparently wasn’t too pleased to hear from Barry. According to veteran newscast Bruce Johnson, Page fired off an email response to Barry’s Communications Chief:

Must we hear about it every time this Crack Addict attempts to rehabilitate himself with some new–and typically half witted–political grandstanding?

I’d be grateful if you would take me off your mailing list. I Cannot think of anything the useless Marion Barry could do that would interest me in the slightest, up to and including overdose.

Sincerely, Tim Page

Johnson also says Page has confirmed that his supervisors at the Post have already taken disciplinary action against him. According to a source, Page has been placed on leave.