Error: Message body empty - cannot modify header info

When this module used by Mime Mail and I try to send a Simple News newsletter the page goes blank except for "Message body empty"

The 2 log messages are
Error sending e-mail from...to... : Message body empty
and..
Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /web/content/sites/all/modules/smtp/phpmailer/class.phpmailer.php:586) in /web/content/includes/common.inc on line 344.

I only saw one mention of this error and it was posted under simplemail module with no fix posted other than use the most current release.

drupal 6.22
mimemail 6.x-1.0
simplenews 6.x-2.0-alpha3 (tried with 1x branch also)
smtp AS 6.x-1.0-beta5