LA Times Editorial Chief Resigns After Newspaper Owner Halts Kamala Harris Endorsement

Mariel Garza, editorials editor for The Los Angeles Times, resigned on Wednesday following the paper's decision to forgo endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. According to Garza, this decision was made by the newspaper's owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who blocked the endorsement.

In an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, Garza explained her resignation, stating: "I cannot stand by while we remain silent in such critical times. This is my way of speaking out." Garza revealed that the editorial board had planned to endorse Harris, but Dr. Soon-Shiong chose not to issue any presidential endorsement this year, a move the paper did not communicate to readers.

Dr. Soon-Shiong, who purchased The Los Angeles Times in 2018 for $500 million, later clarified on social media that he had directed the editorial board to present a balanced analysis of the policies of all candidates. He stated that this approach would allow readers to make their own decisions, rather than issuing a direct endorsement.

Garza, however, rejected this characterization, telling The New York Times, "What he describes is not an endorsement or even an editorial."

LA Times Editorial Chief Resigns After Newspaper Owner Halts Kamala Harris Endorsement

Since 2008, The Los Angeles Times has endorsed a Democratic candidate in each presidential election. While the paper has continued to make endorsements in state and local races, this marks the first time in over a decade it will not endorse a candidate for president. Garza, who had been with the editorial board since 2015 and took the role of editorials editor in April, expressed in her resignation letter that it was significant for the largest newspaper in California to stay silent on such an important race, especially after consistently criticizing Donald Trump in previous years.

In her letter, Garza wrote, "After spending eight years denouncing Trump's harmful leadership, how can we now fail to endorse the decent Democratic challenger - the same one we backed for the Senate?"

Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong made his millions from investments in the pharmaceutical industry. "Soon-Shiong sees that this election is going Trumps way. Why piss off the incoming President Trump administration?" said John Philips on KABC. "there's no reason to bring down the FDA on your company."