Robert Novak, the conservative commentator often referred to as The Prince of Darkness, has succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 78. Kenneth Tomlinson at HumanEvents.com, which published the Evans-Novak Report up until it was canceled last year, confirmed the news this morning. Novak, perhaps now best known for his role in outing CIA agent Valerie Plame, first announced he had been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor almost exactly a year ago, and promptly decided to retire. The diagnosis came just a short time after Novak struck a homeless man with his car in downtown Washington.

Novak was the author of several books, including The Prince of Darkness: 50 Years Reporting in Washington, and over his long career as a pundit made regular appearances on shows like The Capital Gang, CNN’s Crossfire, and Evans, Novak, Hunt, & Shields.