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Pressure mounting on Van Jones to resign

Van Jones' days as "green jobs czar" may be numbered. Jones, the controversial "special advisor" to President Obama, has become a hot topic of conversation lately after talk show host Glenn Beck began exposing some of Jones' very radical views and inflammatory statements.

The latest news to break is that Jones signed an online petition in 2004 calling for an investigation into the possibility that the Sept. 11, 2001 terrrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were an inside job. The petition was on the 911truth.org website.

Jones has not admitted to signing the petition but at the same time says he did not "carefully review" it. The petition, which was part of the "9/11 truther" movement, called for then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and others to launch an investigation into evidence that supposedly  suggested "people within the current [Bush] administration may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war."

In a statement issued Thursday evening Jones said , "In recent days some in the news media have reported on past statements I made before I joined the administration, some of which were made years ago. If I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologize. As for the petition that was circulated today, I do not agree with this statement and it certainly does not reflect my views now or ever.

According to the Washington Times, a spokesman for 911truth.org, Mike Berger, told them that all of the signers had been verified by their group. He said 9/11Truth.org board members “spoke with each person on the list by phone or through email or individually to confirm they had added their name to that list.”

A day earlier Jones issued an apology for calling Republicans "assholes" in February. In a video clip from a speech given by Jones he is seen responding to a question why Congressional Democrats were not as successful as Republicans in pushing through their legislative agenda.

His response:

"Well, the answer to that is, they're assholes," Jones said. "And Barack Obama is not an asshole. So, now, I will say this: I can be an asshole, and some of us who are not Barack Hussein Obama, are going to have to start getting a little bit uppity." 

 Video has also turned up in which Jones said, "The white polluters and the white environmentalists are essentially steering poison into the people of color communities."

How can anyone who makes such irresponsible and dangerous statements become a part of any administration?

A simple search turns up many such controversial statements by Jones. With his popularity falling fast can President Obama afford to have such a divisive figure serving as an advisor? Many people, including NPR political correspondent and Fox News contributor Mara Liasson and conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer say they believe Jones will be out as "green jobs czar" by Monday. One has to ask why he was ever appointed in the first place.

 

***Since I originally posted this article the list of people calling for Jones' resignation has grown immensely. Some very prominent Democrats are among those screaming the loudest for Jones' head. He could be gone as early as this afternoon. A "Friday afternoon dump" may be in the works. It is doubtful President Obama will personally address the situation. More than likely a press release will be issued sometime after 5 o'clock today or within the next couple of days in an attempt to bury the news as Americans are busy enjoying the long Labor Day weekend.

I urge everyone to keep pressure on President Obama to answer the question of how this man was ever appointed as a "special advisor". I also urge everyone to contact your Representatives and your Senators and demand an end to the appointing of "czars".  All presidential appointeees should undergo a Senate confirmation process so that information such as this can be made public before a man like Jones can ever be appointed to such a high level position. If Jones got through the vetting process, who else did?

Obama has so far appointed at least 33 "czars". We already know that several of them have been confirmed to hold very controversial, racist, and radical views. It is time to take a very close look at all of them. It is time to demand accountability from President Obama.***

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By

Columbia Independent Examiner

Darren Pope is an avid follower of political events and is a true independent voice in an age of bitter partisanship. His opinions have appeared in...

Comments

  • paul 2 years ago
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    Is it not disgusting enough to have a radical communist, Van Jones, as a handpicked advisor to the Leader of the Free World but now we find out he is a psycho 9/11 'Truther' too. He believes the U.S. Government was responsible for 9/11. That we fired a missile at the Pentagon. That our own Air Force shot down flight 93. etc.

  • brad 2 years ago
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    Another example of why Borack Obama should not be president. Van Jones: An admitted communist; 9-11 Truther, Race Baiter.....and this guy is connected to the White House. You are who your friends are!

    Thank you to all who voted for this empty suit!

  • Mixelplix 2 years ago
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    This is a good article focusing on the facts.
    Keep up the good work

  • Darren 2 years ago
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    President Obama said himself that if we want to know what his policies are we should look at the people he surrounds himself with. The more I do that the more convinced I become that Barack Obama has views that are far more radical than most people ever would've believed. Van Jones is not the only person Obama has appointed to his administration that holds such controversial beliefs. It simply is not possible that Obama appointed all of these people with no knowledge of those beliefs. No more than it is possible that he barely knew William Ayers, or sat in a church for 20 years that teaches a theology based in Marxism without ever realizing it, or ever hearing the anti-American statements made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The "change" our president promised is not what most people believed it to be. Had they done just a small amount of research it would have been obvious what he meant.

  • jbrewer 2 years ago
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    Let him go quietly in the night...

  • No_Fear 2 years ago
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    I want to know why this man still has a job?
    I want to know why he got the job in the first place?
    Demand answers.
    I emailed and phoned the WH 2 days ago and yesterday again after the A*holes video and have yet to receive any kind of response.

    Flood the WH switchboard.Flood their email.
    Demand answers!

    www.whitehouse.gov/Contact/

  • Judy 2 years ago
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    When is this whole Administration in Washington going to quit trying to re-write history by claiming they don't really stand for the things they say or do? It makes no sense. From the very top, right on down, they deny, deny, deny.

  • Bob 2 years ago
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    Why is anyone surprised by Van Jones? After all Obamba had a firebrand for a preacher in Rev Wright- someone who was always using incendiary language.

  • more 2 years ago
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    why stop with Jones? The senior advisor that recruited him knew all about his history. Fire her too! Then let's rid the executive branch of all the other radicals after that! Then clean out the house and Senate who are derelict of duty in not stopping this mess sooner.

  • bryan 2 years ago
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    Good to see that this guy is being revealed for what he's really about. No matter which party he is with, he has no business being a representative or leader in our government. Like Obama, put his present words and actions into the context of his life and it's pretty clear what he's really about.

  • Bill 2 years ago
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    ABC News Jake Tapper reported just a little while ago about another link that ties Van Jones to the Truther Movement. This is back in 2002.

    Tapper reports how Van Jones was on the "organizing commitee" for this Truther march/delegation in San Francisco in 2002.

    h t t p : / / blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/09/another-possible-link-emerges-between-top-obama-official-and-911-truther-movement.html

  • Rich 2 years ago
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    What ever happened to there is no blue America, no red America, just the United States Of America. Van Jones has to go, this is not the type of person that should have the ear of the President. (9/11 truther,race baiter,self proclaimed communist) Please remove this person from his responsiblities

  • Darren 2 years ago
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    To be fair I would like to add that 911truth.org has said that Jones was never on an organizing committee associated with the group. Until and unless any evidence arises that would prove differently I believe that must be accepted. Regardless of that statement there is ample evidence of Jones' radical views that should disqualify him from serving in any official capacity in this or any administration. However, given President Obama's silence in the Jones matter until now I would not be surprised to see Jones survive this and remain as a "special advisor" to the President. Keep the pressure on.

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