Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and Representative Terri Sewell (AL-7) are demanding the resignation of Goodloe Sutton, The Democrat-Reporter publisher and editor who has come under national scrutiny after writing an editorial advocating for the return of the Ku Klux Klan.

After learning of the editorial and Sutton doubling down on his written thoughts by calling for the lynching of “socialist-communists” in D.C., Jones took to Twitter to express his outrage.

“OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign -NOW!” Alabama’s junior senator said.

Jones added, “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!”

Sewell tweeted that she deems Sutton’s editorial “a threat.”

“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,” she outlined. “These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign.”

Chip Brownlee, The Auburn Plainsman’s editor-in-chief whose tweet about the editorial drew media attention to the issue, has now compiled a host of “racist, sexist, xenophobic” old Democrat-Reporter pieces written by Sutton.

Brownlee also reported Tuesday morning that Sutton is being removed from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Mass Communication and Journalism Hall of Fame because of the Klan editorial.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn