Ex-Washington Post editor Marty Baron condemns censorship by Jeff Bezos, hints at ‘consequences’ for Amazon, Blue Origin

Former Washington Post Editor Marty Baron has come down heavily on Jeff Bezos. Baron is stepping down on Sunday, 28 February, after eight years at the Post and more than four decades in the news business. In a statement to Daily Beast, the legendary editor condemned Jeff Bezos’ overhaul of the Washington Post’s opinions section. The editor hinted that Jeff Bezos is likely functioning out of ‘fear of consequences’.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he (Jeff Bezos) is doing this out of fear of the consequences for his other business interests, Amazon (the source of his wealth) and Blue Origin (which represents his lifelong passion for space exploration),” Marty Baron wrote in Daily Beast.

“He has prioritized those commercial interests over The Post, and he is betraying The Post’s longstanding principles to do so.” Baron added in his article.

Marty Baron had also chastised Blue Origin boss Jeff Bezos’ presidential endorsement decision last fall, calling the move “cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.”

“Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage‚” he wrote at the time, years after unveiling how Bezos landed on the paper’s slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”

Marty Baron reiterated his concerns in his latest statement, saying Jeff Bezos’ closer proximity to US President Donald Trump at the inauguration and through Amazon’s production deal on a Melania Trump documentary did not appear to fulfill his public goal of increasing The Post’s independence.

“It was a sign of dependence, not independence—the dependence of Amazon, Blue Origin and Bezos on Donald Trump,” he wrote.

Marty Baron also levelled a scathing accusation against Jeff Bezos, alleging that he has capitulated to former President Donald Trump and his attacks on the media, primarily to safeguard his own business interests. Notably, Bezos discontinued The Washington Post’s long-standing tradition of endorsing presidential candidates last autumn, even scrapping a planned endorsement of Kamala Harris.

Furthermore, Jeff Bezos was seen alongside other prominent tech leaders at Donald Trump’s inauguration, and he made a substantial donation of $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee.

“What Bezos is doing today runs counter to what he said, and actually practiced, during my tenure at The Post,” Marty Baron added. “I have always been grateful for how he stood up for The Post and an independent press against Trump’s constant threats to his business interests. Now I couldn’t be more sad and disgusted.”

“It was only weeks ago that The Post described itself as providing coverage for ‘all of America,’” Baron wrote in his statement. “Now its opinion pages will be open to only some of America, those who think exactly as he does.” Baron wrote further.

Marty Baron served as the executive editor of The Washington Post from January 2013 to February 2021, a period that began just months before Jeff Bezos acquired the newspaper.