Florida Pension Fund Sues New York Times Over Alleged Anti-Israel Bias

Florida's state-run public pension fund and a conservative think tank have filed a lawsuit against the New York Times, seeking internal materials to determine whether the company's board has allowed biased editorial coverage against Israel.

The petition, filed in a New York state court in Manhattan, argues that a pattern of factual errors in the newspaper's reporting across various subjects gives reason to believe the board has permitted journalistic standards to be "weaponized within the company to serve the personal agendas of unchecked editors."

The State Board of Administration of Florida, which manages the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund, and the National Center for Public Policy Research brought the action as shareholders. The pension fund reported assets under management of about $235.7 billion as of August 31.

The petitioners said they are not challenging the newspaper's editorial judgment. Instead, they want assurances that the board is taking the necessary steps to ensure the Times follows its own editorial standards and avoids biased and unreliable reporting.

The petition leans in part on claims by an unnamed former newsroom employee who worked at the Times for a decade and raised concerns about anti-Israel bias as early as 2019, four years before the war in Gaza began. According to the filing, the newspaper dismissed the whistleblower's repeated complaints about what she described as a widespread culture of anti-Israel bias, including an instance when a human resources representative suggested she "go find a place whose values align with yours."

Three trustees, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, both Republicans, oversee the State Board of Administration, which serves more than 1.2 million members and beneficiaries.

Uthmeier's office, the National Jewish Advocacy Center, which represents the pension fund, and the National Center for Public Policy Research did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Times spokesperson had no immediate comment.

"The question is not whether The New York Times has the right to publish controversial journalism. Of course it does," Steve Milloy, executive director of the think tank's Free Enterprise Project, said in a statement. "The question is whether the company is actually following the safeguards it tells its readers and investors are essential to producing accurate and trustworthy journalism."

The lawsuit adds to a widening national dispute over journalistic independence. Last week, US President Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Those outlets sued Trump, arguing the ban was unconstitutional and violated their First Amendment rights.