Chambliss Apologizes for Staffer's Gay Slur

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has apologized for a homophobic comment that was left in the comments section of the gay-issues blog Joe My God. The comment, "All faggots must die," was traced back to his Atlanta office when Joe My God's principal author, Joseph Jervis, traced the IP address. "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," Chambliss said Thursday. "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.” Chambliss also mentioned the "immediate removal" of a member of his staff. The phrase "removal"—in lieu of, say, "fired"—has led a blogger for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to speculate that the culprit, who still has not been identified, was not a permanent staff member under Chambliss' watch. Jervis accepted the apology and said “I consider the matter closed.”