Obama Green Jobs Adviser Under Fire for 9/11 Petition
Jones, who serves as Special Adviser for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, released a statement addressing a a six-year-old petition Jones signed, alleging government complicity in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The Hotsheet received the following statement, which was first released Thursday night, from Jones' office:
"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.My work at the Council on Environmental Quality is entirely focused on one goal: building clean energy incentives which create 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and use renewable resources."
The news of the petition came after reports that Jones, a month before joining the Obama administration referred to Republicans as "a**holes" for not supporting administration efforts.
Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer on Sunday called Jones' association with the petition "devastating" and an example of "psychotic paranoia." He said the White House should ask Jones to resign.
White House Spokesperson Robert Gibbs said Friday that Jones "continues to work at the White House."
CBSNews.com's Charles Cooper: For Van Jones, A Week Already Feels Like A Year
