Homeland official resigns after report of racial remarks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the Homeland Security Department’s office of faith-based partnerships has resigned following a CNN report on racially inflammatory remarks he made before joining the federal government.

Rev. Jamie Johnson was appointed in April to lead DHS’ Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, which works with churches and community organizations on disaster response.

CNN reported that before his appointment, Johnson was a fixture in Iowa Republican politics and often appeared on conservative talk radio.

ADVERTISEMENT

In one clip posted by CNN, Johnson said, “America’s black community ... has turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity.”

In a statement Thursday announcing Johnson’s resignation, DHS acting press secretary Tyler Q. Houlton says such remarks “clearly do not reflect the values of DHS and the administration.”