The Los Angeles Times Accused of Misleading Headline and Editing Op-Ed on RFK Jr.’s Confirmation
A recent opinion piece published in the Los Angeles Times has stirred controversy after the author, Eric Reinhart, accused the paper of giving his article a misleading headline and omitting crucial portions of his argument regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary.
The piece, originally titled “RFK Jr’s Wrecking Ball Won’t Fix Public Health,” was later changed to “Trump’s healthcare disruption could pay off — if he pushes real reform” by the paper’s billionaire owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong. Soon-Shiong, who posted the article on social media, expressed support for Kennedy’s confirmation, stating that he believed Kennedy was the best choice for the position.
Reinhart, a political anthropologist and psychoanalytic clinician, clarified that his intention in the op-ed was to advocate for a “populist” approach to healthcare reform, not to endorse Kennedy. He argued that the changes made to the piece, including the headline and choice of photo, distorted the intended message of his article.
In response to Soon-Shiong’s endorsement of Kennedy, Reinhart took to social media to express his disagreement, stating that a vote for Kennedy would lead to “nothing but chaos, the opposite of the essential public-systems building” he had advocated for in his op-ed.
The Los Angeles Times, however, defended its editing process, stating that all op-ed contributors have the final say on the content before publication. The paper’s vice president of communications, Hillary Manning, emphasized that Reinhart had approved the edited version of his piece before it was published.
Despite the disagreement over the editing process, Reinhart expressed concern over the potential misinterpretation of his article due to the changes made by the paper. He raised suspicions about the owner’s political influence on editorial decisions, citing tension among staff members over Soon-Shiong’s previous interventions in editorial processes.
As the debate over Kennedy’s confirmation continues, Reinhart stands by his original argument that Kennedy is not the right choice to lead the Health and Human Services department. He believes that the integrity of his op-ed was compromised by the headline and photo chosen by the Los Angeles Times.
While Reinhart acknowledges that the paper has the final say on editorial decisions, he maintains that the changes made to his article were not in line with the spirit of editing and may have misrepresented his views on the issue.
