New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger suggested there was regret in forcing the resignation of editorial page editor James Bennet amid the fallout of the op-ed from Sen. Tom Cotton that sparked fury within the paper.
Earlier this month, a piece written by the Arkansas GOP senator called to “send the troops” to cities that failed to quell riots over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, if the police response wasn’t enough. However, an unprecedented revolt among Times journalists claimed Cotton’s op-ed put the lives of black colleagues in “danger.”
Bennet, who initially defended the publishing of the op-ed, later apologized to staff and admitted that he himself never read the piece before it ran. Days later, he resigned.
Kate Kingsbury, who previously served as the deputy editorial page editor of the paper, has stepped into the role left vacant by Bennet.
She did not provide a comment to the Times in its own report about Bennet’s resignation. However, according to the paper, she did say that “until a more ‘technical solution’ is in place, anyone who sees ‘any piece of Opinion journalism — including headlines or social posts or photos or you name it — that gives you the slightest pause, please call or text me immediately.'”
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