Full Breakdown
Ross Barkan’s Plagiarism Scandal: Columns Retracted, Book Halted, Career in Limbo
8/20/2026, 8:19:55 AM
Plagiarism Findings and Termination
New York Magazine concluded an internal review that identified 67 columns by political columnist Ross Barkan that failed to meet the publication’s standards for proper attribution of language, information, or sourcing. The magazine announced it was part of the “independent editorial review” and would no longer publish Barkan’s column. Corrections were added to the affected pieces, and the outlet pledged to address any further instances that emerge.
Background of the Allegations
The controversy began in May when Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell noted that the lead of Barkan’s article on conservative commentator Ben Shapiro closely mirrored Harwell’s own reporting. NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn later identified additional passages resembling work from The Intercept and Compact Magazine. Barkan initially dismissed the claims, describing them as “ridiculous” and accusing the NPR reporter of “character assassination.”
Scope of the Plagiarism
- Number of problematic pieces: 67 columns were flagged, representing a substantial portion of Barkan’s output.
- Total output: Barkan has said he published “nearly 250 pieces” for New York Magazine, though earlier reports referenced “over 150 columns” at the time the investigation began.
- Nature of the issues: The review found that Barkan often used language from other journalists without quotation marks, block quotes, or explicit citation, relying instead on hyperlinks that did not indicate direct borrowing.
Official Statements & Responses
- Penguin Random House suspended the publication and promotion of Barkan’s forthcoming biography of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, removing the title from major retailer sites.
- The Nation confirmed it is conducting an internal review of Barkan’s past contributions and clarified that he is not under contract to begin a new column.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Let me first begin by saying I'm sorry. I truly am sorry for the mistakes I made,” — Ross Barkan, disgraced journalist
- “In the course of many columns a week, I did not use citations aggressively as I should have and did not paraphrase well enough,” — Ross Barkan, disgraced journalist
- “We regret that his work did not live up to our editorial standards, and apologize to the writers whose work was not appropriately attributed.” — New York Magazine
- “Upon conclusion of the review, we have determined that we will no longer publish his column,” — New York Magazine
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Column count discrepancy: Barkan’s own statement cites “nearly 250 pieces,” while the magazine’s review references “67 columns” with citation problems. Earlier coverage mentioned “over 150 columns” under investigation, creating uncertainty about the total volume examined.
- Scope of external reviews: The Washington Post, NPR, and The Nation have each indicated they are reviewing Barkan’s work, but no definitive findings have been released beyond New York Magazine’s 67-case tally.
What’s Next
- The Nation will complete its internal review of Barkan’s contributions dating back to 2019 and decide whether to retain or terminate any freelance relationship.
- Penguin Random House has not announced a timeline for resuming or permanently canceling the Mamdani biography.
- New York Magazine says it will continue updating its archives should additional attribution issues surface.
The scandal underscores the challenges publications face in detecting plagiarism before publication and the reputational risks when systemic lapses go unchecked.
