The Firing of Robert Scheer

To whom it may concern,

The fact that you removed Robert Scheer from the Op-Ed page with very little in the way of rationale is puzzling. It leaves open the opinion that it was done under duress from radical right-wingers such as Bill O'Reilly, who has criticized Scheer for being too far to the left and just this past summer suggested that Scheer be removed from the editorial page:

"with Robert Scheer and these guys, you don't get more left than him. I really believe their ideology has hurt them in Los Angeles. I think a lot of people in L.A. have said we don't want this rammed down our throat every day." [italics added]

The only explanation I can find from the LA Times statement:

"Our readers expect us to publish all points of view and the broadest range of opinion — from those of our editorial board and columnists to those of our readers and Op-Ed contributors. And we intend to do exactly that."

Which reads like a toned-down version of O'Reilly's screed. It would help the reputation of the LA Times to explain further and distance yourselves from O'Reilly, who recently asked Al Qaeda to attack San Francisco, promising no retailiation from the U.S. government