Just days after suggesting that some southern states should secede from the U.S. to form a new country that is based on “traditional values” and less tolerant of the LGBT community, columnist Douglas MacKinnon has left his job at the Tampa Tribune, according to the paper's publisher. 

MacKinnon, a former aide to Ronald Reagan, recently published The Secessionist States of America: The Blueprint for Creating a Traditional Values Country...Now. According to Right Wing Watch, during a recent interview with conservative radio host Janet Mefferd promoting the book, MacKinnon “specifically cited advances in gay rights as a reason for Southern states to leave the U.S. and create a new country.” His proposal -- including floating “Reagan” as an “interim name” for the new country -- received widespread ridicule. 

Citing unnamed sources, Tampa outlet Creative Loafing reported Monday that MacKinnon had been fired, speculating that it was “because of the embarrassment to the paper.” Tampa Tribune publisher Brian Burns confirmed to Media Matters today that MacKinnon was indeed leaving the paper, but declined to give a reason. According to Burns, “at this point, no he is not employed.” 

Asked by Media Matters to clarify if MacKinnon had been fired or quit, Burns said, “I really can't comment on it, it's a personnel issue so we gotta keep that internal.”

MacKinnon could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

MacKinnon's secession proposal follows an incident in August when the columnist sparked controversy for a piece that claimed the Walt Disney Company had a "pro-gay agenda" and was trying to “indoctrinate” children.

The Tribune later pulled that column from its website.