Things that float.

When a person drowns, they don't float on the surface as they always show in movies like Sunset Boulevard.  Since swallowed water replaces the air in the lungs, the body becomes increasingly heavier until it sinks. It remains underwater until enough gas from bacterial decomposition builds up inside the body to make it buoyant. Then, like a balloon, it floats free it from the materials of the river or ocean bed. And it surfaces. While it's rare, this often happens with living people. Persons who are too vile to be among humans often sink shamefully out of sight. They stay sunken until enough vitriol and poisonous gas builds up from inertia to send their offensive and repugnant bodies back into the public view. Hence Tom DeLay.