I figured the White House would spin the 9/11 Truther petition in one of many possible ways. Perhaps claim he doesn’t really think the government was behind the attacks but rather wanted further investigation. Or maybe say he didn’t properly read the petition.

But no. Van Jones is actually claiming that the petition he signed doesn’t reflect his actual viewpoint. He’s not even claiming that he didn’t sign it, which would’ve been difficult to do anyway as a spokesman for the Truthers said hours ago that the signatures were only added after the signatories were confirmed personally.

In a statement issued Thursday evening Jones said of “the petition that was circulated today, I do not agree with this statement and it certainly does not reflect my views now or ever.”

He did not explain how his name came to be on the petition.

“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,” Jones said in his statement tonight.

Jones also said in his statement that “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.”

And here’s the earlier statement from 9/11Truth.org:

9/11Truth.org spokesman Mike Berger told the Washington Times over the phone 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 confirm they hae 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.”

Not only is Van Jones a communist and conspiracy theorist who believes the 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by the U.S. government, but he’s now lying about it to the American people. This is not a man who should be in any position of power in the American government, much less a high-ranking position.

It’s time for Van Jones to leave. If he doesn’t have the integrity to resign, Obama needs to have the integrity to fire him.