Washington Post Opinion Editor Takes Bezos to Town in Leaked Meeting Audio

A tense meeting at The Washington Post reportedly saw its editorial page editor lay into owner Jeff Bezos over his decision to bar the paper from endorsing a presidential candidate, according to audio obtained by conservative news site The Washington Free Beacon. According to the report, opinion editor David Shipley called the move a “bomb” and said that staff would be “picking up the pieces” for the foreseeable future. It is unclear how the outlet obtained the audio, and both Shipley and The Post did not comment when quizzed by The Free Beacon. Shipley allegedly told staffers about a one-hour, one-on-one meeting he had with Bezos, where he “made very strenuous efforts” to change the billionaire’s mind, but failed. When asked if Bezos had seemed favorable to either candidate, Shipley allegedly said, “I’m not going to say who he expressed a desire for or supported, because that’s just not my place.” Shipley warned staffers, according to The Free Beacon, “Whatever you decide, I’m good with it. What I really do want to impart is that you do not get stuck in the middle. Don’t be here if you don’t want to.” However, staff at the paper contested parts of the report. Though The Free Beacon said opinion writer Jen Rubin “emailed the Free Beacon a quote from one of her columns,” which questioned the ethics of a newspaper owner who also has significant business tied up in government contracts. Rubin, however, took to X after the story was published and claimed that the premise was false: ”My comments quoted are from other public statements.”