Tillerson laments Washington as he departs

WASHINGTON — Fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is lamenting the “mean-spirited” nature of Washington, D.C., as he bids goodbye to the U.S. diplomatic corps.

In a brief final farewell address to State Department employees on Thursday, Tillerson urged them to protect their personal integrity and to strive to respect one another. “This can be a very mean-spirited town,” he said to laughter from a crowd of several hundred people gathered in the main lobby of the building. “But you don’t have to choose to participate in that,” he said to applause.