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A former WashTimes editor doesn't know "if the company is going to exist next week"

November 18, 2009 9:02 am ET by Eric Boehlert

That's the claim made by the Times' former editorial page Richard Miniter, who also claims he was "coerced" by the newspaper's president into attending a Unification Church mass wedding ceremony in New York City last year. The Moonie Times, owned by the Rev. Sung Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed son of God, has been beset  with internal, Moonie-related conflict. Editor John Solomon quit the daily last week.

Miniter has filed discrimination charges, according to a report in today's Washington Examiner. The article reports:

This incident and several others make up the discrimination charges that Miniter filed Tuesday with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He said he was discriminated against because of his religion, age and disability. He also maintained that the company's vice president of human resources started a series of investigations against him, causing him to work from home, in retribution for his refusal to sign a fraudulent document. In addition, he says, he signed a year-long contract with the paper in February when he was promoted to editorial page editor. "The Times backed me in a corner and it looked like the company was going to go under and not ... pay me," Miniter said.

Miniter's complaint comes at a time when The Washington Times' future is in question. The paper's top three executives were ousted last week, and the departure of the top editor John Solomon soon followed. "We tried for weeks to amicably work something out," Miniter said. "With the departure of John Solomon and the other executives, I don't know if the company is going to exist next week," he added, as an explanation for why he chose now to file these claims. 

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    • Author by jediknight65 (November 18, 2009 9:16 am ET)
      2  
      we can only hope that this vanity newspaper is soon gone
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Bad News (November 18, 2009 9:18 am ET)
      2 1
      If America loses its News Papers it will be the end of the 1st Amendment.
      We will be at the Mercy of National News Networks like "Fox" who find Solace in White's only Contentment.
      When the News Papers fall a Race War may not be far behind.
      If you think i'm kidding watch Sarah Palin on "Hannity" saying Profiling is good for Mankind.

      Speak truth to power.


      Mr. News
      Report Abuse
      • Author by goesto11 (November 18, 2009 9:28 am ET)
        2  
        True, losing our newspapers (plural) would be a terrible thing.

        But losing this particular newspaper? I think our democracy will survive it.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by pete592 (November 18, 2009 11:20 am ET)
           
        There are still many local newspapers that have not been bought out and loaded with huge amounts of debt as a result. While they have not been immune to the effects of the internet, smaller, more independent publications are still operating. These are the ones we should worry about the most.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by HumblePie (November 18, 2009 9:53 am ET)
         
      Bye, bye, Amanda Carpenter. I hope this means a permanent job loss for you.
      Report Abuse

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  • County Fair is a media blog featuring links to progressive media criticism from around the Web as well as original commentary, breaking news and rapid response updates to major media events from Media Matters senior fellows and other staff.