LA Times Owner’s Daughter Nika Soon-Shiong Praises Non-Endorsement of Kamala Harris: ‘Overseeing a War on Children’

Nika Soon-Shiong, the outspoken pro-Palestinian activist daughter of Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, defended the paper’s non-endorsement of a presidential candidate on Friday, saying in an X thread that “genocide is the line in the sand” and suggesting that Kamala Harris is “a candidate that is overseeing a war on children.”

“There is a lot of controversy and confusion over the LAT’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate,” Nika posted, echoing her father. “I trust the editorial board’s judgment. For me, genocide is the line in the sand.”

The 31-year-old progressive activist for causes like Palestine and guaranteed income is a divisive figure in the Times’ universe, where her influence on editorial decisions has stirred internal controversy. Late last year, when the Times recused 20 newsroom journalists from covering the Israel-Gaza war, her opposition was no secret; her father later said he might have intervened had he known in advance.

Nika, who was born in South Africa, evoked Nelson Mandela’s 1997 quote about Palestine in her argument about the Times’ decision not to publish an endorsement.

“The temptation is to speak in muffled tones about an issue the international courts have called a plausible genocide,” she wrote. “But this moment requires opposition to crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and Apartheid – as my parents did in South Africa.”

There is a lot of controversy and confusion over the LAT’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate. I trust the Editorial Board’s judgment. For me, genocide is the line in the sand.

— Nika Soon-Shiong 🇵🇸 (@nikasoonshiong) October 25, 2024

Nika further wrote that the Israel-Gaza war is “profitable” for arms dealers “witnessing record profits. Northrop Grumman’s stock is up 28%, General Dynamics up 37%, Lockheed Martin up 55%. Dick Cheney is pleased.”

She also clarified that her support of the non-endorsement is “not a vote for Donald Trump. This is a refusal to endorse a candidate that is overseeing a war on children. I’m proud of the LA Times’ decision just as I am certain there is no such thing as children of darkness. There is no such thing as human animals.”

Her father Patrick, who bought the Times in 2018 and became executive chairman, has denied he vetoed the editorial board’s endorsement of Harris for president, saying that the board “chose to remain silent and I accepted their decision.”

Fallout from the decision included the Wednesday resignation of editorial page editor Mariel Garza and subsequent others.