LA Times Owner Halts Endorsement of Harris, Reports Semafor
The editorial board of a California newspaper was set to support Kamala Harris, but it appears that the owner intervened unexpectedly. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The owner of the Los Angeles Times has prohibited the paper's editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election, breaking a two-decade tradition of supporting Democratic candidates, according to Semafor.
The editorial board had initially intended to endorse Harris but was instructed by Executive Editor Terry Tang earlier this month not to proceed with the endorsement, as reported by Semafor, citing two anonymous sources.
Sources revealed that the directive originated from Patrick Soon-Shiong, the paper’s owner.
Soon-Shiong, a South African-born medical doctor and billionaire entrepreneur, acquired the struggling LA Times in 2018. While he successfully reversed years of financial losses and workforce reductions, the newspaper’s advertising revenue took a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to the layoffs of over 100 employees earlier this year.
Blocking the endorsement of Harris has significant implications for the vice president, as the LA Times holds considerable influence in her home state of California.
Historically, the newspaper endorsed Republican candidates from the 1880s until 1972, when it notably supported Richard Nixon over South Dakota Senator George McGovern. This decision, made in the context of the emerging Watergate scandal, displeased some of the paper's reporters, resulting in a hiatus on presidential endorsements until it backed Barack Obama in 2008. Since then, it has consistently endorsed Democrats.
The editorial board commented last week that “this may be the most consequential election in a generation.” However, it did not elaborate on the presidential race, choosing instead to endorse over two dozen candidates, primarily Democrats, for various offices, including school boards and the US Senate.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The editorial board had initially intended to endorse Harris but was instructed by Executive Editor Terry Tang earlier this month not to proceed with the endorsement, as reported by Semafor, citing two anonymous sources.
Sources revealed that the directive originated from Patrick Soon-Shiong, the paper’s owner.
Soon-Shiong, a South African-born medical doctor and billionaire entrepreneur, acquired the struggling LA Times in 2018. While he successfully reversed years of financial losses and workforce reductions, the newspaper’s advertising revenue took a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to the layoffs of over 100 employees earlier this year.
Blocking the endorsement of Harris has significant implications for the vice president, as the LA Times holds considerable influence in her home state of California.
Historically, the newspaper endorsed Republican candidates from the 1880s until 1972, when it notably supported Richard Nixon over South Dakota Senator George McGovern. This decision, made in the context of the emerging Watergate scandal, displeased some of the paper's reporters, resulting in a hiatus on presidential endorsements until it backed Barack Obama in 2008. Since then, it has consistently endorsed Democrats.
The editorial board commented last week that “this may be the most consequential election in a generation.” However, it did not elaborate on the presidential race, choosing instead to endorse over two dozen candidates, primarily Democrats, for various offices, including school boards and the US Senate.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
