Mariel Garza, the editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times, resigned on Wednesday after the newspaper's owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, decided not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential elections. In an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, Garza stated that her resignation was motivated by her disagreement with the newspaper's silence during a critical time: “Honest people need to stand up.”

Garza revealed that the editorial board had planned to endorse Harris, but Soon-Shiong chose not to support any candidacy. The decision was communicated to readers without any explanation. Garza submitted her resignation letter to the newspaper's CEO, Terry Tang, who oversees both the newsroom and the opinion department.

Soon-Shiong countered Garza's claims on social media, arguing that the editorial board did not follow the directive to provide an objective analysis of the candidates' policies. The newspaper's union expressed concern over the decision not to endorse a candidate and the blame placed on editorial board members.

You may also be interested in its spanish version: Renuncia la jefa del comité editorial de Los Angeles Times tras la decisión de no respaldar a Kamala Harris

Since 2008, the Los Angeles Times*has endorsed Democratic candidates in every presidential election cycle. Garza, who joined the editorial board in 2015 and was appointed editor-in-chief in April, criticized the lack of endorsement in her resignation letter, stating that it made the newspaper appear “cowardly and hypocritical.”

This information was originally reported by The New York Times.