WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley resigned on Sunday after reports that he labelled as “stupid” and “ridiculous” the Pentagon’s treatment of a US soldier accused of leaking secret documents that appeared on the WikiLeaks website.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement issued by the State Department that she accepted PJ Crowley’s resignation with “regret.” He has served as the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs and chief spokesman.
Crowley said in the statement he submitted his resignation “given the impact of my remarks, for which I take full responsibility.” His resignation came two days after President Barack Obama was asked about Crowley’s remarks during a televised news conference.
A BBC correspondent reported last week that Crowley, a retired Air Force colonel, told a small audience at a university in Massachusetts the treatment of jailed former intelligence analyst Bradley Manning “is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”
