President Obama’s “green jobs czar” Van Jones is apologizing for the second time in two days, this time for signing a 2004 petition for an organization that seeks to expose the “official lies and cover-up surrounding the events of 9/11.”
This comes after a video that recently surfaced in which Mr. Jones called Republicans a disparaging name at an energy lecture in Berkeley, California last February. He apologized for doing that on Wednesday.
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Prompting the second apology was a “truther” petition. Mr. Jones, is listed among 99 other prominent figures by 911Truth.org on a 2004 petition demanding an investigation as to what the Bush Administration might have done that “deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext to war.” He is number 46 on the list available here. Other signers of the statement include Code Pink co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodi Evans, comedienne Janeane Garofalo, Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and others.
Mike Berger, a spokesman for 911Truth.org, told the Washington Times over the phone Thursday morning 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 to individually confirm they have added their name to that list.”
“I think in most cases they spoke to them personally,” he added. “No one’s name was put on that list without them knowing it.”
By Thursday evening, Mr. Jones apologized for signing the statement and said he doesn’t feel that way today and never has had such thoughts, although the 911Truth group claims to have personally confirmed support from all of their signers.
“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,” he said in a statement provided to the Washington Times. “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,” he added.
Several pundits have speculated Mr. Jones would be forced to resign his plum position, but the statement is considered a sign the Obama White House will keep him on board.
