Columnist resigns, claims bullying by colleagues

NEW YORK — New York Times opinion columnist and editor Bari Weiss resigned Tuesday, alleging she was bullied by colleagues who disagreed with her views and painting a picture of an intolerant newsroom.

Andrew Sullivan, another prominent journalist who expressed concern that a “woke” culture is crowding out dissenting opinion, similarly announced his resignation from New York magazine.

In a lengthy resignation letter, which Weiss posted on her personal website, she said she has been called a “Nazi and a racist.”

She also said Times’ staffers derided her at times by saying she was “writing about the Jews again.”

She said self-censorship had “become

the norm” at the newspaper and that opinion pieces published just two years ago would now get an editor or writer “in serious trouble, if not fired.”

She said social media acts as the “ultimate editor” even though “Twitter is not on the masthead of The New York Times.”

Spectator magazine chairman Andrew Neil called her resignation “devastating” on Twitter, adding that Weiss “says, in effect, that the Twitter lynch mobs now edit the New York Times.”

Senior editor of the National Review Jay Nordlinger tweeted that her resignation is important.

“If we are ever to right the ship in the direction of free expression and diversity of thought, this statement by @bariweiss will be remembered as important.”

Kathleen Kingsbury, acting editorial page editor at the newspaper, said she wants to ensure that viewpoints from across the political spectrum are published.

The Times didn’t address Weiss’ specific harassment allegations.

“We’re committed to fostering an environment of honest, searching and empathetic dialogue between colleagues, one where mutual respect is required of all,” spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told The Associated Press.

On Twitter, Sullivan wrote that

“the mob” bullied Weiss for thought crimes “and her editors stood by and watched.”

Later, he tweeted that he was resigning as a columnist at New York magazine for “reasons that are pretty self-evident.” He didn’t specify those reasons but said he’ll have a farewell column later this week and will continue his work elsewhere.