A columnist who has worked at The Washington Post for four decades resigned Monday after the newspaper’s management decided not to run her commentary critical of owner Jeff Bezos’ new editorial policy.
Ruth Marcus, who has worked at the newspaper since 1984, wrote that “it breaks my heart to conclude that I must leave.” Her resignation letter was first reported by The New York Times.
Her exit is fallout from the billionaire owner’s directive that the Post narrow the topics covered by its opinion section to personal liberties and the free market. The newspaper’s opinions editor, David Shipley, resigned because of the shift, announced two weeks ago.
Marcus said that the Post’s publisher, Will Lewis, declined to publish her column, which she said was “respectfully dissenting” from Bezos’ edict. It was the first time in nearly 20 years of writing columns that she’s had one killed, she said.
The decision “underscores that the traditional freedom of columnists to select the topics they wish to address and say what they think has been dangerously eroded,” she wrote.
A Post spokeperson said Monday that “we’re grateful for Ruth’s significant contributions to The Washington Post over the past 40 years. We respect her decision to leave and wish her the best.”
The Post has been struggling over the past year, financially and editorially. Bezos’ decision last fall that the Post would not endorse a presidential candidate — after the editorial staff had prepared to support Democrat Kamala Harris — led to an exodus of subscribers. Uncertainty over the paper’s direction has led to many of its journalists leaving for other jobs.
Marcus’ resignation on Monday overshadowed a newsroom reorganization plan introduced by Lewis.
