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Obama Adviser Van Jones Resigns Amid Controversy

By the Associated Press

Posted Sep 5, 2009 11:29 PM CDT

(AP) – Obama environmental adviser Van Jones is resigning amid controversy over past inflammatory statements. The so-called green jobs czar got into hot water this week when two things surfaced: He called Republicans "assholes" in a video made before he joined the administration, and he signed a petition supporting the "truther" movement, which alleges that the Bush administration allowed the 9/11 attacks to happen.

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," Jones said in his resignation statement. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide." Jones said that supporters urged him to "stay and fight," but that he can't in good conscience be such a distraction to the administration. Earlier this week, he apologized for the insult to Republicans and denied ever supporting the 9/11 accusations.

Van Jones speaks at an energy summit in Las Vegas last month. At left is T. Boone Pickens.
Van Jones speaks at an energy summit in Las Vegas last month. At left is T. Boone Pickens.   (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Van Jones attends the Time 100 Gala in May.
Van Jones attends the Time 100 Gala in May.   (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
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Here's the "assholes" comment, about a minute in.   (YouTube)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 34 comments
memphibian
Sep 11, 2009 3:00 AM CDT
Republicans = assholes? Sounds fair & balanced to me!
Shannonals
Sep 7, 2009 2:53 AM CDT
And than jamerican we can work on weeding out the angry racist thugs in the American public like you and Jayster
Shannonals
Sep 7, 2009 2:52 AM CDT
Jayster your a tool. Nine months doesn't make a failed adminstration. You and your backwoods buddies have been spewing the same trash since Obama won the election. One day your going to wake up and relaize, like Rush when he recanted his statements, that if the President fails, the country fails

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

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