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LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Times has experienced a significant shift in its editorial leadership following the resignation of its editorials editor, Mariel Garza. This move was prompted by the newspaper’s ownership blocking the editorial board’s intention to endorse Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential election, according to a report from a journalism trade publication.
Garza conveyed her frustrations in an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, expressing her belief that the Times was failing to take a stand during critical times for political discourse. She asserted, “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.”
In a statement on the social media platform X, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the LA Times, clarified that he had instructed the editorial board to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the policies put forth by Harris and her opponent, former President Donald Trump, during their respective tenures in office. He emphasized the importance of presenting factual, non-partisan information to allow readers to make informed decisions regarding presidential candidates for the forthcoming election.
Soon-Shiong remarked, “The board was asked to provide its 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.” He reiterated that the board’s choice to abstain from an endorsement was accepted.
Garza indicated that the editorial board had initially planned to endorse Harris and that she had drafted a preliminary outline for the editorial piece. However, the expected endorsement was derailed by the owner’s directive.
In reaction to Garza’s resignation, the LA Times Guild Unit Council & Bargaining Committee expressed grave concerns about the owner’s interference with the editorial board’s decision-making process. The guild criticized Soon-Shiong’s decision to attribute blame to the board members regarding the lack of an endorsement, stating, “We are still pressing for answers from newsroom management on behalf of our members.”
The executive team for Trump’s campaign seized on the situation, pointing out that the LA Times, previously an advocate for Harris in her earlier political bids, had now opted against endorsing her presidential campaign.
This development follows the earlier departure of the then-Executive Editor Kevin Merida about ten months ago, who left the organization in what was described as a “mutually agreed” arrangement. The newspaper faced challenges in reaching its digital subscriber goals and cited a need for increased revenue to support its digital and newsroom operations.
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abcnews.go.com