New York Times editorial page editor James Bennet will recuse himself from all matters relating to the 2020 presidential campaign after his brother, Sen. Michael Bennet, announced on Thursday that he would throw his hat into the crowded field of contenders.
“Editorial Page Editor James Bennet has recused himself from any work generated by the opinion desk related to the 2020 presidential election. He will not discuss, assign or edit any editorials, Op-Eds, columns or other Opinion pieces focused on candidates or major issues in the campaign,” a statement from the Times on Thursday read.
The recusal will remain in force “as long as Sen. Bennet’s campaign is active.”
The Times also announced that deputy editorial page editors Kathleen Kingsbury and James Dao would handle political coverage during the recusal period and noted that James Bennet had “not been involved in any editorial decisions relating to the senator even prior to the announcement today.”
The decision Thursday fulfills a February promise made by the paper to Vanity Fair to take Bennet off the campaign if his brother formally joined the race.
On Thursday, Sen. Bennet made it official, adding his name to an already very crowded field of Democrats vying for the opportunity to challenge Trump in the 2020 race.
“We cannot be the first generation to leave less to our kids, not more,” Bennet said in a tweet announcing his decision. “That’s why I’m running for President. Let’s build opportunity for every American and restore integrity to our government.”
.@nytimes editorial page editor James Bennet has recused himself from 2020 election coverage following the announcement that his brother Senator Michael Bennet intends to run for president. Full statement follows. pic.twitter.com/w7UiX85gDQ
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) May 2, 2019