Pulitzer Prize-winning American cartoonist has left Washington Post The newspaper has claimed that its latest sketch was removed by its editor due to its criticism of the relationship between prominent tech and media figures and US President-elect Donald Trump.
64-year-old illustrator Ann Telnes announces her resignation Via my own Substack blog On Saturday, the Post included a draft of political cartoons and accused its editor of preventing them from doing “important work.”[holding] “Powerful people and institutions are held accountable.”
Telnes says a draft of the cartoon was censored, which included Facebook/Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Amazon founder and CEO. Washington Post Owner Jeff Bezos is shown bowing at the feet of a circular figure representing Trump and holding sacks of money as if paying homage.
“The cartoon … criticizes billionaire tech and media CEOs who are doing their best to curry favor with incoming President-elect Trump,” Telnes wrote, “people with lucrative government contracts and those who make their way People interested in dismantling the rules” [Trump’s Florida residence] Mar-a-Lago.”
Telnes said that although he acknowledged that it is not unusual for editors to reject cartoons or suggest changes for various reasons, he “never killed a cartoon because of what or where I put my pen to it.” So far.”
He described the decision as a “game-changer” and warned that it was “dangerous for a free press.”
The editor denied the allegations
editor of PostCommenting desk, David Shipley refuted Talnessy’s portrayal of the events.
“Not every editorial decision is an expression of a malicious power,” he said in a statement seen by the German dpa news agency.
He said he rejected the cartoon because other columnists had addressed the same topic and he wanted to avoid a repetition.
Washington Post It has belonged to Amazon founder Bezos since 2013, and the billionaire recently insisted he has no personal interest in the newspaper.
Bezos’s comments follow widespread criticism from both readers and employees in November, when the Post declined to endorse any candidate in the 2024 US presidential election.
The decision broke decades of tradition and reportedly cost Post Over 200,000 online customers. Three members of the editorial board also resigned.
CEO and publisher Will Lewis claimed the decision was his alone, but that’s not the case PostIts own journalists reported that the call was made by owner Bezos, which the newspaper rejected.
Edited by: Sean M. Sinico
