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Ryan Lizza Critiques Politico Amid Democratic Crisis
Former Politico reporter Ryan Lizza openly criticized his old employer on Monday, claiming that it has fallen short in addressing the serious democratic challenges facing the United States under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
Lizza’s departure from Politico comes in the wake of a personal controversy involving his ex-fiancée, Olivia Nuzzi, a former writer for New York Magazine. Nuzzi’s alleged inappropriate relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she covered, had previously thrust Lizza into the media spotlight. Following the fallout from this revelation and unsubstantiated allegations of blackmail and harassment from Nuzzi, she later retracted her claims. Lizza returned to a reduced role at Politico following the incident.
Lizza announced his exit from Politico along with the launch of his new Substack publication, Telos. In his first article, he elaborated on his decision, stating, “The main reason? Their style of political coverage is not meeting the unprecedented moment of democratic peril we are facing.”
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Lizza’s observations raise concerns about media integrity during critical times. “I know that sounds dramatic, but the gap between what is actually happening in Washington and how it was being framed and reported became much too wide,” he elaborated. He positioned Telos as his effort to create more responsible and insightful journalism.
In his critique, Lizza contended that “the wrong people are in charge” at Politico, suggesting a culture of deference to Trump’s administration. He reflected on how media organizations can succumb to external pressures, stating, “I saw up close how easy it was for a media conglomerate to grovel before the Trump administration when the wrong people are in charge.” He pointed out a specific incident involving Politico’s participation in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which he characterized as a detrimental misstep following Trump’s disparagement of their subscription practices with the federal government.
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Lizza specifically referenced a Politico White House Bureau Chief’s participation in CPAC, where journalists faced public scrutiny for their engagement with political figures. He indicated that events like CPAC are increasingly venues for the erosion of democratic principles, alleging that some attendees were conspiring for a “coup” to facilitate a third term for Trump.
As the political landscape evolves, Lizza described the Trump administration as “psychologically disorienting” to many professionals in Washington. He drew parallels between the mental struggles of soldiers in combat and the current state of journalists grappling with unprecedented political turmoil. Lizza wrote, “We need to wake up,” urging his peers to confront the realities of current events rather than deny their implications.
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After his initial article raised eyebrows, Lizza claimed that Politico instructed him to retract it due to violations of a non-disparagement agreement. Instead of compliance, he chose to reinforce his stance on the issues he highlighted. “I hope cooler heads prevail here, and I hope that my friends at Politico will think carefully about whether they really want to go around censoring journalists,” Lizza remarked, standing firm against perceived censorship.
Nuzzi has consistently denied any physical relationship with Kennedy, despite acknowledging personal communications. Following an internal investigation at New York Magazine, no inaccuracies or biases were found in her work, and she subsequently departed from the publication. Kennedy’s representatives have denied claims of any physical interactions, stating he had only met Nuzzi once, while Lizza has refuted Nuzzi’s original allegations of harassment and blackmail.
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