The Alabama newspaper editor who called for the Ku Klux Klan to “ride again” says he has stepped down from his position.

Goodloe Sutton, 80 told The Auburn Plainsman on Friday that he had stepped down as publisher and editor of The Democrat-Reporter, a small paper in Linden, Ala.

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"I do not own it," he told the newspaper. "I can drink beer and chase women now. They can't run too fast, or I can't catch them."

But the newspaper noted that Sutton's comments were contradicted by Elecia R. Dexter, who is replacing him as publisher and editor.

Dexter, a 46-year-old African-American woman, told The Associated Press that Sutton would maintain ownership but that she would “handle everything else.” Sutton later told The Auburn Plainsman that he turned over responsibility of the newspaper to Dexter because he believes she can effectively manage it.

"You know how managing you females are," Sutton added. The Auburn Plainsman noted that Sutton concluded the call by telling the newspaper's managing editor to "be sweet" and "behave."

Sutton drew widespread attention earlier this month after writing an op-ed calling for the Klan to “ride again” to block tax increases in the state.

“Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again,” he wrote. “Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama.”

Sutton later defended his argument, telling the Montgomery Advertiser that if “we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., we'd all been better off.”

Sutton printed his final newspaper as publisher on Friday. The Plainsman noted that he included a letter to the editor from a self-proclaimed member of the Ku Klux Klan.

