Health Expert Criticizes LA Times for Misrepresenting His Opinion on RFK Jr.
A public health specialist criticized the Los Angeles Times on Friday for allegedly twisting his critical opinion piece to favorably portray Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. This accusation comes shortly after the newspaper’s billionaire owner was in the spotlight for limiting editorials critical of Republican President Donald Trump.
Dr. Eric Reinhart, a political anthropologist and psychoanalytic clinician, claimed that his article, which was published by the Times on Wednesday, was initially titled “RFK Jr.’s Wrecking Ball Won’t Fix Public Health.” However, the editors changed it to “Trump’s Healthcare Disruption Could Pay Off—If He Pushes Real Reform,” which significantly altered the article’s tone and message.
Expressing his discontent on social media, Reinhart stated, “My first time working with the Los Angeles Times, and likely my last. Voting for RFK Jr. equates to voting for chaos, which is the exact opposite of the constructive public systems I advocate for in the op-ed, and could lead to widespread death.”
Reinhart acknowledged the editorial process but criticized the last-minute changes, saying, “Editors edit and control the final copy and headline, I understand. But removing a crucial and timely point just before going to press, while also choosing a title and image that imply a completely different argument from the author’s intention, is unacceptable.”
Significant Alterations Reported
As Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling from The New Republic noted, there is a stark difference between the original draft and the published version of Reinhart’s article. The published version starts optimistically regarding Kennedy’s potential impact within the Trump administration, portraying the controversial figure as a possible solution to the public’s growing discontent with the healthcare industry.
Reinhart further elaborated on social media platform Bluesky, where he described the Times editors’ actions as “pretty shitty” and clarified that his original draft left no ambiguity about his stance on RFK Jr.: “He’s dangerously ignorant, egomaniacal, and essentially a mass murderer in waiting. He should not be involved with HHS in any capacity.”
The ownership of Patrick Soon-Shiong, who acquired the Times in 2018, has not been without controversy. His directive last month, which temporarily halted criticisms of Trump, led to multiple resignations within the staff and a drop in reader subscriptions. This directive followed an earlier incident where Soon-Shiong prevented the endorsement of former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, citing a need for more balance in the opinion section and referencing her role in U.S. policies towards Gaza.
Earlier this week, Soon-Shiong expressed his support for Kennedy on social media, stating, “I had not met Bobby Kennedy until a few months ago. Having gotten to know him, I truly believe he has the best interests of the American public at heart. Throughout my career, I’ve been concerned about toxins and cancer causes. I sincerely hope he is confirmed.”
In a statement released by Politico on Friday, Hillary Manning, vice president of communications for the Times, stated, “Our opinion editors collaborate with op-ed contributors to refine articles for length, clarity, and accuracy, among other considerations. No op-ed is published as edited without the author’s consent, including Eric Reinhart’s piece.”
Reinhart responded by highlighting concerns over the owner’s political influence and history of editorial interference, stating, “What worries me is the background of the owner’s politics and his known record of meddling with the newspaper’s editorial processes.”
He concluded, “The pressing public health question when the op-ed was published is whether or not we should confirm RFK Jr. for a crucial position for which he is massively and dangerously unqualified.”
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