The Los Angeles Times changed a headline that misrepresented Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s opinion about impeaching President Donald Trump after Feinstein said the paper “misunderstood” her words.
The original Times headline said that Feinstein was “leaning toward” acquitting Trump but she tweeted a response clarifying her position. The senator wrote, “The LA Times misunderstood what I said today. Before the trial I said I’d keep an open mind. Now that both sides made their cases, it’s clear the president’s actions were wrong. He withheld vital foreign assistance for personal political gain. That can’t be allowed to stand.”
The LA Times misunderstood what I said today. Before the trial I said I'd keep an open mind. Now that both sides made their cases, it’s clear the president’s actions were wrong. He withheld vital foreign assistance for personal political gain. That can’t be allowed to stand.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 28, 2020
Just before the senator’s tweets, the reporter who asked Feinstein the question about impeachment, Axios’ Alayna Treene, tweeted that she believed the Times had “the story backwards,” adding, “I was the reporter who asked @SenFeinstein these questions. She told me she was initially going to vote against impeachment ‘before this.’ But when I asked her to clarify, she said she’s changed her opinion.”
The new headline reads: “Feinstein says she’s a maybe on acquitting Trump as his defense team ends impeachment arguments.”
A rep for the LA Times tells TheWrap, “Following publication of our story about Sen. Feinstein’s comments on the impeachment trial, the senator issued an additional statement regarding her position on impeachment. We revised the headline and the story to fully reflect her stated position.”