White House mutedly thanks Jones afer czar's resignation

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs offered muted thanks for former 'Green Jobs' czar Van Jones for his service after the controversial activist resigned early this morning.

"The president thanks Van Jones for his service in the first eight months helping to coordinate renewable energy jobs and lay the foundation for our future economic problem," Gibbs said during on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.

"The president accepted his resignation, but Van Jones as he said in his statement he was going to get in the way of the president," Gibbs added.

Jones had come under fire after some of his past controversial moments -- including signing a 9/11 "truther" petition and calling Republicans "a**holes" -- came under public scrutiny.

Many White House observers had expected Jones's resignation over the three-day, holiday weekend, and it finally came in the early hours of Sunday.

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," Jones wrote in his resignation letter. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide."

"I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future," Jones added.