Taylor Lorenz Moved Off Features By Washington Post, Which Assigns Top Editor to Review Her Work: Report

Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz must have her work reviewed by a top editor, and she was moved to the paper’s technology team from its features staff, per a report.

The New York Times reported the paper moved Lorenz in part over a series of tweets. The report cited multiple sources with knowledge of recent turbulence at the Post.

Lorenz denied the Times report on Twitter, saying she had not been demoted and that the status of who edits her stories has not changed.

The paper fired reporter Felicia Sonmez last week after some of the Post‘s internal drama spilled over onto Twitter.

Reporter Dave Weigel retweeted a sexist joke. Sonmez made an issue of it and eventually had it out online with reporter Jose Del Real.

Executive editor Sally Buzbee sent a memo to staffers informing them the Post does not “tolerate colleagues attacking colleagues either face to face or online.”

Sonmez waged a campaign of criticism and lost her job.

Buzbee’s memo was sent out the same week Lorenz also took internal Post business to Twitter.

A story by Lorenz claimed she reached out to two people for comment. Both denied they were contacted before the story was published.

The story, a feature over social media influencers who cashed in on the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial, was corrected twice. Lorenz stated the error was not her fault and blamed an editor.

In a series of tweets, Lorenz blames her editor for having inserted the error into her story and says she is the victim of a “bad faith” campaign. pic.twitter.com/VmH7mejgXP

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) June 4, 2022

According to the Times, Lorenz has been moved and must have all of her reporting reviewed by Post senior managing editor Cameron Barr. The paper reported:

Taylor Lorenz, a technology reporter lured to The Post from The New York Times this year, had tweeted that a miscommunication with her editor led to an inaccurate line in an article. The tweets were discussed and agreed on by Ms. Lorenz and multiple editors before she posted, said three people with knowledge of the discussions. The tweets prompted an outcry from critics on Twitter who accused her of passing the buck.

…

Ms. Lorenz has been moved from the features staff to the technology team, according to three people with knowledge of the move. Mr. Barr has been asked to review her articles before publication, two of the people said.

Lorenz denied the report from the Times in a Friday night tweet.

I have absolutely not been demoted, not even remotely. My job has not changed at all. I joined WaPo as a technology columnist writing tech features and I still have the exact same job. Cameron has always edited my stories, he edits all the big stories on the site.

— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 17, 2022