Van Jones environmental jobs adviser to US President Barack Obama resigns

September 6, 2009 Van Jones, the environmental jobs adviser to United States President Barack Obama, has resigned after what he calls a smear campaign against him.

It had recently been brought to light that Jones had signed a petition in 2004 that stated the U.S. government was behind the 9/11 attacks and that only "white suburban boys" shot up schools like Columbine High school where in 1999, two boys shot and killed 13 people, then themselves while injuring a dozen others.

"You've never seen a Columbine done by a black child. Never. They always say, 'We can't believe it happened here. We can't believe it's these suburban white kids.' It's only them. Now, a black kid might shoot another black kid. He's not going to shoot up the whole school," said Jones in 2005.

Jones had apologized for his past remarks last Friday, saying "if I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologize." Jones also said that he did not agree with the 2004 petition saying, "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."