Two additional members of the editorial board at the Los Angeles Times have stepped down following the newspaper owner’s decision to prevent the board from endorsing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.


On Thursday, veteran journalists Robert Greene and Karin Klein announced their resignations just one day after editorial page editor Mariel Garza left the Times in protest over this controversial decision made by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the newspaper.


Greene, known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning work in editorial writing, expressed his disappointment in a resignation letter shared with the Columbia Journalism Review. He stated that he felt let down by the owner’s decision not to endorse Harris, highlighting what he perceives as a threat to democratic principles and journalistic integrity posed by one of the candidates, Donald Trump.


In her resignation, Garza emphasized the importance of having a voice in the presidential race during what she called “dangerous times.” She stated clearly, “I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent.” Furthermore, Garza revealed that the editorial board had prepared to endorse Harris and that she had even outlined the proposed editorial, which was ultimately blocked by Soon-Shiong.


Soon-Shiong mentioned in a post on the social media platform X that he had requested the editorial board to conduct a factual analysis of the policies of both Harris and Trump during their respective presidencies. He reiterated that the board’s choice to refrain from taking an official stance was accepted by him.


Greene, who has reported on diverse topics such as water issues, drought, and local government, raised concerns about Soon-Shiong’s claim that the board had opted for silence. He insisted that a thorough policy analysis would need to come from the news division and emphasized the role of an editorial board is to take a clear position and advocate for it convincingly.


His resignation, he noted, was a direct response to this refusal to take a stand, as well as Soon-Shiong’s inaccurate assertion regarding the board’s decision-making process.


Klein shared her thoughts on Facebook mentioning that her choice to resign was catalyzed by Soon-Shiong’s post on X, where he suggested the board should compile a list of the pros and cons for each candidate, allowing voters to make their own choices. She criticized this approach, stating, “News side does an excellent job of neutral analysis. That’s not an editorial.”


In a subsequent interview with Spectrum News, Soon-Shiong defended against accusations of censorship aimed at the editorial board. He described himself as part of the board and shared his belief that, rather than endorsing a candidate, the Times should provide a platform for all perspectives to be heard, stating that he hoped to promote dialogue rather than division in the country.


“I don’t know how readers perceive me or our family as ‘ultra progressive’ or not, but I’m an independent,” Soon-Shiong stated, emphasizing his commitment to airing all voices in the editorial discourse.