The editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times resigned Wednesday after the newspaper's owner apparently barred the editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris for president. "I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent," Mariel Garza tells the Columbia Journalism Review. "In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I'm standing up." Meanwhile, the paper's owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, issued a lengthy statement on X that did not mention Garza's resignation, but did offer to "clarify" how the lack of a presidential endorsement came about:
- "The Editorial Board was provided the opportunity to draft a factual analysis of all the POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE policies by EACH candidate during their tenures at the White House, and how these policies affected the nation. In addition, the Board was asked to provide their understanding of the policies and plans enunciated by the candidates during this campaign and its potential effect on the nation in the next four years. In this way, with this clear and non-partisan information side-by-side, our readers could decide who would be worthy of being President for the next four years. Instead of adopting this path as suggested, the Editorial Board chose to remain silent and I accepted their decision. Please #vote."
But Garza tells the Review she never received a request for such an analysis, and adds, "What he outlines in that tweet is not an endorsement, or even an editorial." The LA Times Guild Unit Council & Bargaining Committee also issued a statement, saying it is "deeply concerned about our owner's decision to block a planned endorsement in the presidential race. We are even more concerned that he is now unfairly assigning blame to Editorial Board members for his decision not to endorse. We are still pressing for answers from newsroom management on behalf of our members." Soon-Shiong bought the paper in 2018.
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