Florida Pension Fund Sues New York Times Over Israel Coverage
The state-administered fund seeks to review the newspaper's books and records, citing concerns about alleged anti-Israel bias.
Florida’s state-administered public pension fund has filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking access to the newspaper’s financial records. The suit, filed in a New York state court, aims to determine if the Times is adhering to its editorial standards in its reporting on Israel.
The complaint alleges that the Times’ “repeated publication of materially false or baseless factual assertions” suggests a potential breach of journalistic standards, possibly allowing “personal agendas of unchecked editors” to influence reporting. This legal action is partly based on claims from an unnamed newsroom whistleblower who reported experiencing what they described as a culture of anti-Israel bias within the organization. The whistleblower reportedly faced pushback when raising concerns, including being told by an HR representative to consider working elsewhere if their values did not align with the company’s.
A spokesperson for The New York Times did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit was initiated by the State Board of Administration of Florida, acting on behalf of the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund, which is a shareholder in the Times. The state is represented by Florida’s Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier, the National Jewish Advocacy Center, and other legal counsel.