Breaking News: LA Times Faces Editorial Turmoil as Top Editor Exits Over Presidential Endorsement Block
In a dramatic turn of events that has shocked the journalism community, Mariel Garza, the editorial editor of the prestigious Los Angeles Times, has stepped down from her position. Her resignation comes after the newspaper’s owner blocked plans to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election.
The controversy erupted when Patrick Soon-Shiong, who bought the paper for $500 million in 2018, prevented the editorial board from making their planned endorsement. This decision marks a significant break from the paper’s long-standing tradition of presidential endorsements, which has typically favored Democratic candidates.
“I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent,” Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review. “In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.”
Soon-Shiong defended his stance on social media platform X, explaining that he had asked the editorial board to provide a balanced analysis of both candidates’ policies. He wanted readers to see “clear and non-partisan information side-by-side” about Harris and Trump’s track records in the White House.
The LA Times Guild Unit Council & Bargaining Committee quickly voiced their concerns: “We are deeply concerned about our owner’s decision to block a planned endorsement in the presidential race,” they stated in an official release.
The guild expressed additional worry about Soon-Shiong’s handling of the situation, noting that he appeared to be “unfairly assigning blame to Editorial Board members for his decision not to endorse.”
This latest upheaval comes at a challenging time for California’s largest newspaper. The publication has been grappling with financial difficulties, having recently cut nearly a quarter of its newsroom staff due to declining readership and revenue shortfalls. The paper has fallen short of its digital subscriber goals, putting pressure on its ability to maintain robust newsroom operations.
Trump’s campaign team was quick to capitalize on the situation, highlighting how the newspaper that had previously backed Harris in her races for U.S. Senate and state attorney general was now withholding its presidential endorsement. They framed this as a significant blow to Harris’s campaign, particularly given that California is her home state.
This development mirrors a broader trend in the 2024 election cycle. Just last month, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a major labor union, also declined to endorse either presidential candidate after internal polling revealed strong support for Trump among its members.
The timing of Garza’s departure is particularly noteworthy, coming approximately ten months after former Executive Editor Kevin Merida’s exit from the paper. Both departures highlight the ongoing challenges facing traditional media outlets as they navigate the complex intersection of editorial independence, financial sustainability, and political neutrality.
The controversy raises important questions about the role of newspaper owners in editorial decisions and the future of political endorsements in American journalism.
As news organizations struggle to maintain both their independence and financial stability, the LA Times situation may signal a shifting landscape in how major publications approach political endorsements in increasingly polarized times.
For now, the LA Times newsroom continues to seek answers from management, while the paper’s readers and the broader journalism community watch closely to see how this situation might influence similar decisions at other publications across the country.