Mariel Garza, a veteran California journalist who was associated with the Times’ editorial board for nearly a decade, has resigned. Her resignation was prompted by the refusal of Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, to allow the newspaper’s editorial board to endorse Kamala Harris for president. Mariel Garza told the media news outlet Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) on Wednesday that she is resigning in protest of Soon-Shiong’s decision.
Mariel Garza stated to CJR,
“In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up,”
Dr. Soon-Shiong had acquired the LA Times in 2018 for $500 million and did not agree with Ms. Garza’s version of events. In a social media post, he stated that the editorial did not follow the directives to draft a truthful analysis of all the negative and positive aspects of both the presidential nominees during their tenures at the White House and how their policies affected the nation.
Editorial Board Did Not Follow Directives
Dr. Soon-Shiong stated,
“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.”
She further wrote,
“Instead of adopting this path as suggested, the Editorial Board chose to remain silent, and I accepted their decision. Please #vote.”
Mariel Garza immediately hit back at Dr. Soon-Shiong and told the New York Times,
“What he outlines in that tweet is not an endorsement, or even an editorial.”
The Los Angeles Times’s union leadership also in a statement said that they are deeply concerned about Dr. Soon-Shiong’s decision on the endorsement.
Los Angeles Times Guild said,
“We are even more concerned that he is now unfairly assigning blame to Editorial Board members for his decision not to endorse.”
The Los Angeles Times has traditionally endorsed the Democratic Presidential nominee since 2008. The news that The Los Angeles Times was skipping this year’s presidential endorsement was first reported by Semafor. Looking at history, the paper had traditionally endorsed GOP nominees in every election from its founding, in 1881. However, during Richard Nixon’s term and the infamous Watergate scandal, the endorsements were more of an embarrassment. From 1976 through 2004, the Times did not endorse any candidate for president.
Mariel Garza’s resignation letter, which Columbia Journalism Review published in full, Ms. Garza expressed her surprise that the largest newspaper in California declined to endorse in the important presidential elections.
“It makes us look craven and hypocritical, maybe even a bit sexist and racist,” she wrote. “How could we spend eight years railing against Trump and the danger his leadership poses to the country, and then fail to endorse the perfectly decent Democrat challenger — who we previously endorsed for the U.S. Senate?”
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