Given recent decisions by The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, it is evident there is a lack of transparency between newsroom operations and the public. While both newsrooms claim their choices bring them closer to the gold standard of journalism — objectivity — their refusal to endorse a candidate reflects the economic models employed by newsrooms across America.

In 2013, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, bought The Washington Post for $250 million. His objective was clear: create a foundation for himself in Washington.

While $250 million is a steep price for average Americans, it likely only impacted Bezos’ $205.6 billion net worth like a $20 bill being taken from a mom’s wallet. That is to say, Bezos paid a small price to influence editorial decisions made by one of America’s most prominent newsrooms.

The Los Angeles Times is owned by Patrick Soon-Shiong, a billionaire doctor who made his fortune through the invention of Abraxane, a highly effective pancreatic cancer treatment. While Bezos may have tabled an endorsement in pursuit of objectivity, Soon-Shiong reportedly blocked one due to Harris’ support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

Conflicting stories have come from the Los Angeles Times newsroom. Soon-Shiong’s daughter, Nika Soon-Shiong, told The New York Times, “Our family made the joint decision not to endorse a presidential candidate. This was the first and only time I have been involved in the process.”

Her father later told CNN, “Nika speaks in her own personal capacity regarding her opinion, as every community member has the right to do. She does not have any role at the LA Times, nor does she participate in any decision or discussion with the editorial board, as has been made clear many times.”

Patrick Soon-Shiong felt it was important to make this distinction because his daughter has a marked history of getting involved in newsroom affairs that do not concern her.

He also told Spectrum News 1 SoCal, “My fear is that if we chose either, that it would just add to the division.”

While The Daily Iowan is not a national publication, we are independent of corporate ownership — something we’re incredibly proud of. Because of this journalistic freedom, we feel it is our duty to inform readers of our endorsement heading into the 2024 election.

In a time of intense political polarization, The Daily Iowan’s choice to endorse candidates does not reflect an effort to sway voters. Rather, it seeks to publicly affirm the many liberties afforded to us as journalists.

The Daily Iowan Editorial Board endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for president of the United States.

Our decision was reached after serious deliberation, stretching the many concerns we carry with us as voters. Ultimately, our decision to endorse Harris is based on three primary issues: Harris’ proposed policies on reproductive rights, her moral character, and nuance with which she approaches complex policies, such as immigration.

As a newsroom led by women, our editorial board recognizes the importance of empowering women to make choices about their bodies. Harris has a proven voting record of protecting women’s reproductive rights.

Because Trump appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices, the women of this newsroom must face the fact that we were born with more rights than we now have, as evidenced by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

If former President Donald Trump has made one thing clear to our editorial board, it is his refusal to provide a clear answer on how he will approach abortion legislation if elected a second time.

Trump’s running mate has said Trump would veto a national abortion ban. When asked about Vance’s comment during the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Trump told the nation he hadn’t discussed his plans with his VP pick. Vance later retracted his original statement, admitting, “I’ve learned my lesson on speaking for the president before he and I have actually talked about an issue.”

Despite Harris’ evasiveness on certain policies, such as fracking, our editorial board has greater confidence in her selection of qualified Cabinet members than in Trump’s. We also believe her collaboration with running mate Tim Walz will be more effective.

During his time in office, Trump showed a concerning willingness to select unqualified Cabinet members based on their admiration of him.

For example, Trump chose Betsy DeVos to serve as his secretary of education. DeVos was adamant about the federal prioritization of private schools, opting as often as possible to expand school choice via charter schools and private school vouchers.

Nearly three-quarters of Trump’s initial Cabinet picks were gone by the end of his term. DeVos narrowly escaped being part of that statistic, resigning 12 days before Biden’s inauguration, citing Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Our editorial board believes an administration should be staffed by Americans who reflect the views of the broader American public, not those of a single man who can change his mind on a whim.

We also believe Harris’ commitment to serving the American people is evident in her seven years of public service as a senator and vice president.

There is a misconception that Harris, dubbed the “border czar” by Republicans, failed to secure the border while vice president. In reality, Harris was never put in charge of border security; she was tasked with addressing the root causes of border insecurity.

She focused on long-term solutions to immigration by creating jobs in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to dissuade people from leaving for the U.S. She also addressed corrupt leadership in Central America to safeguard the democratic process there and encourage people to stay in their home countries.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, which would have disastrous economic and humanitarian impacts.

A study by the American Immigration Council estimates such a deportation would cost at least $315 billion. Additionally, it would almost certainly require mass detention of immigrants before deportation, imprisoning at least 13 million people. Along with cost, immigration detention has a long track record of human rights abuses.

Rather than rounding up and subjecting humans to poor detention conditions, Harris plans to address border insecurity through increased patrols and illegal drug screenings. She also supports “protection determination,” which would allow asylum seekers to live in the U.S. while their claims are processed, instead of forcing people into detention sites.

Along with our decision to endorse Vice President Harris, the DI also endorses Christina Bohannan for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District.

Iowa’s current representative, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, has consistently aligned herself with national talking points from Trump, focusing on policies that do not address the specific concerns of Iowans.

While our editorial board has concerns with Bohannan’s stances on issues like Gaza and her lack of tangible policy solutions for Iowa families, her opponent fares no better.

Miller-Meeks’ unwavering support for Trump is enough to suggest her priorities do not align with the needs of Iowans.

Abortion access is a key example.

According to a Des Moines Register poll from earlier this year, a majority of Iowans oppose the state’s six-week abortion ban. However, Miller-Meeks’ decision to stand by said ban shows she is not receptive to feedback from her constituents.

Bohannan has, on multiple occasions, promised to work toward the return of Roe v. Wade on the federal level, reversing restrictive legislation across the country.

“It’s creating a lot of problems for women around the state,” Bohannan said of Iowa’s six-week abortion ban.

On Saturday, the Des Moines Register released a poll showing Harris leading Trump by three points in Iowa — within the poll’s margin of error. The poll also shows that voters in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District prefer a Democratic candidate.

This shift seems driven largely by politically independent women in Iowa, who must grapple with what the overturning of Roe v. Wade means in red states like Iowa.

Our editorial board recognizes the tides are shifting in Iowa, and we are anchored with Vice President Harris.