Van Jones resigned as the Special Advisor for Green Jobs on the White House Council on Environmental Quality on September 6, 2009. The resignation lead to a firestorm against "czars," the nickname for advisors in the Obama administration who do not require the approval of the U.S. Congress.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/06/jones-resignation-embolden-administration-critics/
On Labor Day 2009, it was rumored that opponents of "czars" were planning to send mass messages over Twitter with the hashtags similar to #FIRECzars. According to a "call to activism" blog post, the intention was to "remove all radical czars/advisers" and "demand this administration stops backpedaling."http://amerikeith.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/call-to-activism-twitter/
Reasons Behind the Resignation of Van Jones
Van Jones was criticized for signing a 2004 petition that sought an investigation into whether the Bush administration allowed the attacks on 9-11 to occur. Upon resigning on September 6, 2009, Jones cited a "vicious smear campaign" and said that opponents of health care reform and energy plans were "using lies and distortions to distract and divide."http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a7EKRP2bzNhk
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Van Jones resigned on September 6, 2009
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Fact:
Jones said he was the victim of a "vicious smear campaign"
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Fact:
Van Jones became the special advisor for green jobs in the White House Council on Environmental Quality in March 2009
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Fact:
Signed a petition in 2004 which saught an investigation into 9-11
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Fact:
Van Jones was criticized by Republicans for his affiliation with ColorofChange.org
