An aide to Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has resigned after coming under fire for his views in favor of the Confederacy and the shooting of President Abraham Lincoln. Jack Hunter, who helped write Sen. Paul’s book, formerly worked as a radio pundit known as the “Southern Avenger” who often donned a mask bearing the Confederate flag. He headed a group that advocated Southern secession from the United States and wrote about toasting Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Paul, who is being eyed as a top Republican presidential contender in 2016, initially defended his aide to The Huffington Post, calling him “incredibly talented” while acknowledging some of his writings were “absolutely stupid.” But Paul confirmed Monday Jack Hunter had left his staff in a “mutual decision.”