Sen. Doug Jones calls on small Alabama newspaper editor to resign after editorial calling for KKK to ‘clean out DC’

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., called for the publisher of a small newspaper to resign after running a column calling for the Klan to ride again. (AP)

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., called on the editor of a small Alabama newspaper to resign Monday after publishing an editorial last week that called for the Ku Klux Klan to "night ride again" and "clean out D.C."

Goodloe Sutton, the editor and publisher at the 3,000-circulation Democrat-Reporter, told The Montgomery Advertiser that he penned the Feb. 14 column. The report said that he doubled down on the piece, and said, "We’ll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them."

Jones called the editorial in the weekly “absolutely disgusting” and called for Sutton to resign.

"I have seen what happens when we stand by while people-especially those with influence—publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now!" he tweeted. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., joined Jones in calling for Sutton to resign.

"For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of “editorializing” about lynching is not a joke – it is a threat," Sewell tweeted. "These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign."

The editorial first came to light after a student at Auburn University posted a photo of the short article on Twitter, with the caption that, in part, read, "wow."

The column, "Klan Needs to Ride Again," calls out Democrats and Republicans who are "plotting to raise taxes in Alabama." The publisher said it is not a call to lynch Americans. He said the column is directed at “socialist-communists.”

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The publisher went on to deny that the KKK was a racist organization and said the "Klan wasn’t violent until they needed to be."

"A violent organization? Well, they didn't kill but a few people," he reportedly said.

Fox News emailed the paper early Tuesday morning and did not get an immediate response.

The report said Sutton—who worked at the paper since 1964-- has little concern about public backlash and welcomes a boycott, the report said.

The Alabama Press Association told the Register that it "does not agree with the opinion."

"However, APA is not a policing agency. We simply have no authority over what our member newspapers publish," the paper reported.