NYT reporter claims his editor threatened to ‘kill’ him over report about Harvard antisemitism

Reporter Rob Copeland claimed that NYT business editor Ellen Pollock threatened to "kill" him, another editor, and herself after pulling him into a meeting to discuss the report. Copeland said that Pollock screamed at him for "hours," accusing him of not adhering to her directions to keep the story under 2,000 words. He filed a "death threat" complaint with the Times' human resources department, the Breaker Newsletter reported.

Copeland, most famous for his exposé about Ray Dalio and his Bridgewater Associates hedge fund, wrote the report, published on April 22, alongside his Times colleagues, Michael S. Schmidt and Maureen Farrell. The article titled "As Harvard Is Hailed a Hero, Some Donors Still Want It to Strike a Deal," featured prominent figures such as Bill Ackman, Jared Kushner, Larry Summers, and Condoleezza Rice. The final word count ran at 2,282 words, which exceeded Pollock's word limit.

Pollock has since issued an apology, alleging that the death threats were not to be taken seriously and were intended as a joke, according to the newsletter. But Copeland didn't take it that way and filed an official complaint citing HR violations, per the report.

Copeland was reportedly told to take time away from work to decompress, but declined, according to the New York Post. The outlet reached the NYT for comment and received the following statement: "The New York Times is committed to fostering a productive and supportive workplace, and takes seriously all matters related to how our staff works together."