Florida Attorney General Demands New York Times Internal Records Over Israel-Hamas Coverage

James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general and legal counsel for the State Board of Administration, is acting as a trustee for the state pension fund that holds roughly 160,000 shares of The New York Times. Citing concerns that the newspaper’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war could damage its brand and, consequently, shareholder value, Uthmeier sent a 28-page demand letter in August requesting six years of board minutes, reports and other internal documents dating back to January 2020. The request is framed as an exercise of shareholder rights under New York corporate law, not as a government effort to dictate editorial content.

The Epoch TimesThe Palm Beach PostTND - The National DeskFlorida demands New York Times internal records, citing Israel-Hamas coverage Miami Herald

• The attorney general alleges that, between October 7, 2023 and mid-2024, The New York Times issued 72 corrections related to its Israel-Hamas war coverage.

TND - The National Desk

• Uthmeier characterizes “many, if not most” of those corrections as favoring Hamas.

Florida demands New York Times internal records, citing Israel-Hamas coverage

Florida officials argue that a newspaper’s reputation is a material asset for investors; if shareholders perceive the outlet as unreliable, the company’s value could suffer. Uthmeier’s letter states that the board must be shown what directors know about the alleged editorial lapses.

Florida demands New York Times internal records, citing Israel-Hamas coverage

Miami attorney José Javier Rodríguez, a challenger in the upcoming attorney-general race, contended that Uthmeier’s actions are driven by personal or political motives, asserting, “The only reason he does something is for money, or a quick, cheap headline, or both.” The comment reflects broader concerns that the demand may serve a partisan agenda rather than a purely fiduciary purpose.

The Palm Beach Post

• “The First Amendment protects what a newspaper publishes, but it does not let a public company’s board ignore its shareholders,” — General James Uthmeier, florida attorney

The Epoch Times

• “Shareholders have tools to ensure the Board prevents The Times from becoming a newspaper the public comes to regard as untrustworthy,” — General James Uthmeier, florida attorney

The Epoch Times

• “We are aware of the demand letter, which, while positioned as a request under corporate law, is a clear attempt to chill First Amendment-protected journalism. We will respond more fully in due course,” — Danielle Rhoades Ha, spokesperson for The New York Times

The Epoch Times

• “The Times tells investors that its brand and reputation are its most important assets and that if people see its journalism as unreliable or biased, the company can be hurt,” — General James Uthmeier, florida attorney

The Epoch Times

Florida has given The New York Times a two-week period to comply with the request or face a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court. The newspaper’s forthcoming detailed response will determine whether the dispute proceeds to litigation.

The Palm Beach Post