world
Shareholder Demands Inspection of New York Times Board Records
A shareholder group has given the newspaper five days to allow review of board and audit committee documents or face a court filing. The request follows a May 11 column and a subsequent statement by one named source.
May 31, 7:27 AM·1m read1 source
JE
jns.orgAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
A shareholder of The New York Times is demanding inspection of the company's Board and Audit Committee records, giving the outlet five days to respond or face court. The National Center for Public Policy Research, identified as a beneficial shareholder, made the request after the May 11 column by Nicholas Kristof.
The column reported on allegations of sexual violence by Israeli prison guards against Palestinian prisoners, including claims that dogs were used in assaults. The Israeli government announced plans to pursue a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper and the columnist following publication.
The demand seeks records on the design and operation of legal review programs, source verification programs, and corrections procedures. It also asks whether those programs were followed or bypassed for the Kristof column. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, listed as an on-the-record source in the column, stated that his remarks were misrepresented.
"When a columnist's own quoted source publicly accuses the columnist of misrepresentation after publication, that is not a detail the company can wave away by noting the editors found no errors," said the National Jewish Advocacy Center, which represents the shareholder.
The request is made under New York Business Law and common law of shareholders. It does not seek reporter notes, unpublished drafts, confidential source identities, or attorney work product.
