Senator Saxby Chambliss Removes Staffer Who Left Comment On Blog Saying “All Faggots Must Die;” Issues Public And Private Apology

United States Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) apologized Thursday to Joe Jervis, author of the blog Joe.My.God. for threatening, violent comment originating from the senator’s office that read “All Faggots must DIE,” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The offending comment was left on the site an hour or so after the United States Senate voted to stall the repeal of the military ban on openly gay and lesbian service members. A prepared statement from Chambliss reads “The office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms has concluded its investigation, and I responded to that report immediately with the removal of a member of my staff. I commend the Sergeant at Arms, Terrance Gainer, and his staff for their very thorough and professional work. I have called Mr. Jervis, the blog’s author, and apologized to him personally, and I am sorry for the hurt this incident has caused. Regardless of one’s position on issues and policies, such comments are simply unacceptable, are not befitting those who work in the U.S. Senate, and I will not tolerate them from my staff.” That the staffer has been removed as opposed to being fired has fuelled speculation that the source of the comment was in fact a military liaison hired by the Pentagon to work in Chambliss’ office. For his part, Jervis – who paraphrases the phone conservation he shared with Senator Chambliss – has accepted the senator’s public and private apology, saying “I consider the matter closed. The gentleman is no longer in Chambliss’ office. I’m pretty sure if he were a direct Chambliss hire, we would know his name. I don’t think he was Chambliss’ to fire. I was never calling for this guy’s head. I just wanted the senator himself to address the issue and say that this can’t happen in my office. He has done that.”