The
Los Angeles Times has fired left-wing political cartoonist
Ted Rall and will no longer print his cartoons on the Times’ editorial page.
The termination began in response to a May 11, LA
Times Opinion blog post, in which Rall reported getting roughed up by LAPD. Rall
blogged at the time:
Times Opinion blog post, in which Rall reported getting roughed up by LAPD. Rall
blogged at the time:
This
one is personal.
one is personal.
Just
over 10 years ago, I was ticketed – and handcuffed – for an alleged pedestrian
violation while crossing Melrose Avenue. Ironically, this was one of the rare
times that I was innocent of even jaywalking, something I do every day.
over 10 years ago, I was ticketed – and handcuffed – for an alleged pedestrian
violation while crossing Melrose Avenue. Ironically, this was one of the rare
times that I was innocent of even jaywalking, something I do every day.
All
of a sudden, a motorcycle officer zoomed over, threw me up against the wall,
slapped on the cuffs, roughed me up and wrote me a ticket. It was an ugly
scene, and in broad daylight it must have looked like one, because within
minutes there were a couple of dozen passersby shouting at the cop.
of a sudden, a motorcycle officer zoomed over, threw me up against the wall,
slapped on the cuffs, roughed me up and wrote me a ticket. It was an ugly
scene, and in broad daylight it must have looked like one, because within
minutes there were a couple of dozen passersby shouting at the cop.
The LAPD dismissed this story, and said that it
never happened. Further research into the internal report records confirm the
account.
never happened. Further research into the internal report records confirm the
account.
Nicholas Goldberg, LA Times Editorial Pages Editor, released
the following statement, explaining the paper’s decision to terminate the
cartoonists’ contributions:
the following statement, explaining the paper’s decision to terminate the
cartoonists’ contributions:
In
a May 11 post on The Times' OpinionLA blog, Ted Rall — a freelance cartoonist
whose work appears regularly in The Times — described an incident in which he
was stopped for jaywalking on Melrose Avenue in 2001.
a May 11 post on The Times' OpinionLA blog, Ted Rall — a freelance cartoonist
whose work appears regularly in The Times — described an incident in which he
was stopped for jaywalking on Melrose Avenue in 2001.
Since
then, the Los Angeles Police Department has provided records about the
incident, including a complaint Rall filed at the time. An audiotape of the
encounter recorded by the police officer does not back up Rall's assertions; it
gives no indication that there was physical violence of any sort by the
policeman or that Rall's license was thrown into the sewer or that he was
handcuffed. Nor is there any evidence on the recording of a crowd of shouting
onlookers.
then, the Los Angeles Police Department has provided records about the
incident, including a complaint Rall filed at the time. An audiotape of the
encounter recorded by the police officer does not back up Rall's assertions; it
gives no indication that there was physical violence of any sort by the
policeman or that Rall's license was thrown into the sewer or that he was
handcuffed. Nor is there any evidence on the recording of a crowd of shouting
onlookers.
!["File:Ted]("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Ted_Rall.jpg") |
| Ted Rall (Yoshin Yamada) |
In
Rall's initial complaint to the LAPD, he describes the incident without
mentioning any physical violence or handcuffing but says that the police
officer was "belligerent and hostile" and that he threw Rall's
license into the "gutter." The tape depicts a polite interaction.
Rall's initial complaint to the LAPD, he describes the incident without
mentioning any physical violence or handcuffing but says that the police
officer was "belligerent and hostile" and that he threw Rall's
license into the "gutter." The tape depicts a polite interaction.
In
addition, Rall wrote in his blog post that the LAPD dismissed his complaint without
ever contacting him. Department records show that internal affairs
investigators made repeated attempts to contact Rall, without success.
addition, Rall wrote in his blog post that the LAPD dismissed his complaint without
ever contacting him. Department records show that internal affairs
investigators made repeated attempts to contact Rall, without success.
Asked
to explain these inconsistencies, Rall said he stands by his blog post.
to explain these inconsistencies, Rall said he stands by his blog post.
As
to why he didn't mention any physical abuse in his letter to the LAPD in 2001,
Rall said he didn't want to make an enemy of the department, in part because he
hosted a local radio talk show at the time. After listening to the tape, Rall
noted that it was of poor quality and contained inaudible segments.
to why he didn't mention any physical abuse in his letter to the LAPD in 2001,
Rall said he didn't want to make an enemy of the department, in part because he
hosted a local radio talk show at the time. After listening to the tape, Rall
noted that it was of poor quality and contained inaudible segments.
However,
the recording and other evidence provided by the LAPD raise serious questions
about the accuracy of Rall's blog post. Based on this, the piece should not
have been published.
the recording and other evidence provided by the LAPD raise serious questions
about the accuracy of Rall's blog post. Based on this, the piece should not
have been published.
Rall's
future work will not appear in The Times.
The
Los Angeles Times is a trusted source of news because of the quality and
integrity of the work its journalists do. This is a reminder of the need to
remain vigilant about what we publish.
Los Angeles Times is a trusted source of news because of the quality and
integrity of the work its journalists do. This is a reminder of the need to
remain vigilant about what we publish.
Rall contends his honesty, integrity, and innocence.
He
shared with CBS Los Angeles:
He
shared with CBS Los Angeles:
I
would do it all over the same way today,” he said. “I’m disgusted that the
Times took the LAPD’s word, based on nothing.”
would do it all over the same way today,” he said. “I’m disgusted that the
Times took the LAPD’s word, based on nothing.”
He
said the audio recording misrepresents the officer interaction, since the
officer knew he was being recorded and much of the recording is static. He’s
hired an audio expert to sift through the recording.
said the audio recording misrepresents the officer interaction, since the
officer knew he was being recorded and much of the recording is static. He’s
hired an audio expert to sift through the recording.
“To
say the sound quality is bad is charitable,” Rall said. “There’s nothing on the
tape.”
say the sound quality is bad is charitable,” Rall said. “There’s nothing on the
tape.”
Rall, whose work has also appeared in NYC-based MAD
Magazine, has courted controversy before. He once depicted President Obama with
ape-like features. Rall
denounced any insinuations that he is racist. Nevertheless, The openly
progressive news
site Daily Kos banned Rall’s work
in turn.
In 2006, He also threatened to sue
conservative writer Ann Coulter for libel, then backed off by the end of
the year. In
2004, and even
more recently, Rall faced conservative backlash for depicting former
National Security Advisor then Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice as a “house nigga”.
conservative writer Ann Coulter for libel, then backed off by the end of
the year. In
2004, and even
more recently, Rall faced conservative backlash for depicting former
National Security Advisor then Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice as a “house nigga”.