LA Times Editorial Board Faces Resignations After Owner Blocks Kamala Harris Endorsement

Two more members of the Los Angeles Times editorial board have resigned following the newspaper owner's decision to block an endorsement for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Veteran journalists Robert Greene and Karin Klein announced their departures on Thursday, just a day after editorial page editor Mariel Garza left in protest over Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's decision not to endorse any candidate.

Greene, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer, expressed his disappointment in a resignation letter shared with the Columbia Journalism Review. He stated, "I recognise that it is the owner's decision to make. But it hurt particularly because one of the candidates, Donald Trump, has demonstrated such hostility to principles that are central to journalism — respect for the truth and reverence for democracy."

Editorial Board's Silence

Garza explained her resignation was due to the Times' silence on the presidential race during what she described as "dangerous times." She told the Columbia Journalism Review, "I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent. In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I'm standing up." Garza had prepared an outline for endorsing Harris, but it was blocked by Soon-Shiong.

Soon-Shiong addressed the situation on social media platform X, stating that he had asked the board to conduct a factual analysis of Harris's and Trump's policies during their White House tenures. He noted that the board chose to remain silent and accepted their decision. Soon-Shiong purchased the paper in 2018 and is part of its editorial board.

Resignations and Reactions

Klein also announced her resignation on Facebook after seeing Soon-Shiong's post on X. She wrote, "The decision to resign was made simple and easy when he posted on X yesterday about his suggestion that the board create an analysis of the positives and negatives of each candidate and let the voters make their own decisions." Klein emphasised that neutral analysis is a task for the news side, not an editorial.

Greene voiced concerns over Soon-Shiong's claim that the board had chosen silence. He argued that policy analysis should be handled by the news department and stressed that an editorial board's role is "to take a stand and defend it persuasively." Greene stated he left due to the refusal to take a stand and what he saw as an incorrect assertion about the board's choice.

Owner's Perspective

In an interview with Spectrum News, Soon-Shiong countered accusations of censoring the editorial board. He explained his position as an owner on the board, suggesting a comprehensive presentation of all pros and cons for readers to decide. Soon-Shiong expressed concern that endorsing a candidate might exacerbate national divisions.

Soon-Shiong said, "I want us desperately to air all the voices on the opinion side, on the op-ed side." He added uncertainty about how readers perceive him or his family politically but identified himself as independent.