A New York Times reporter filed a human resources complaint alleging that his editor issued a “death threat” after she allegedly threatened to “shoot” him, another editor and herself during a heated dispute over a story, according to a report.
Tensions flared between veteran business editor Ellen Pollock and reporter Rob Copeland in the run-up to publishing a critical article on Harvard University’s handling of the Trump administration’s controversial demands to rein in alleged antisemitism, according to the Breaker newsletter.
Copeland, the award-winning author of a widely acclaimed exposé about Ray Dalio and his hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, co-wrote the story alongside fellow Times scribes Maureen Farrell and Michael S. Schmidt.
In the run-up to publication, Copeland was summoned into an office meeting with Pollock and editor Michael Corkery, the newsletter reported.
The story was viewed within the halls of the newspaper as an especially sensitive topic given Harvard’s ties to multiple Times staff including executive editor Joe Kahn.
The dispute reached a climax during the office meeting when Pollock lashed out, screaming at Copeland for not adhering to her directions, sources told Breaker. The screaming session lasted “hours,” according to a source.
Pollock allegedly issued what was interpreted as an alarming statement, threatening that if the Harvard story exceeded 2,000 words, she would “kill” Copeland, Corkery and then herself, Breaker reported.
The scuttlebutt in the newsroom was that there was talk in the meeting of using a gun and “threats of “shooting” but those rumors were incorrect, according to Breaker.
Those who know Pollock well spoke frequently of what Breaker referred to as her “unorthodox bedside manner” and that her comments to Copeland were “intended as a joke and not a death threat,” according to the newsletter.
Copeland, however, did not see humor in the situation.
According to the report, he immediately characterized the statement as a “HR violation” and filed an official complaint against Pollock.
Following the incident, Copeland was encouraged to take time away from the paper to de-escalate tensions, but The Post has learned that he declined.
Pollock subsequently issued an apology.
The final published article notably exceeded Pollock’s original word-limit, running at 2,282 words.
The article, published April 22 under the headline “As Harvard Is Hailed a Hero, Some Donors Still Want It to Strike a Deal,” involved prominent figures such as Jared Kushner, Bill Ackman, Larry Summers and Condoleezza Rice.
The Post has sought comment from the Times.
The newspaper told Breaker that it was “committed to fostering a productive and supportive workplace, and takes seriously all matters related to how our staff works together.”
