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New York Observer reporter quits after Trump endorsement

by Jesse Byrnes - 04/13/16 3:15 PM ET

New York Observer national political reporter Ross Barkan announced Wednesday that he is leaving the publication, citing in part the paper’s relationship with Donald Trump.

The weekly paper, owned by the Republican presidential candidate’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, endorsed the businessman’s campaign on Tuesday.

I’m grateful for the three years I’ve spent at NYO, and all the experiences I’ve had along the way. Most grateful to our readers.

— Ross Barkan (@RossBarkan) April 13, 2016

“I knew going into this there would be complications with covering Donald Trump and working for the New York Observer,” Barkan told CNNMoney. “I did not imagine that the events would transpire the way they did.”

Observer editor Ken Kurson had reportedly provided feedback for a speech Kushner wrote for Trump that he delivered at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference last month.

The paper later said it was “re-visiting” its policy on covering Trump.

“The AIPAC moment was very concerning for me,” Barkan told CNNMoney. “I did not imagine that my editor-in-chief would be viewing a Trump speech before it went public.”

He said he has been considering a job change for weeks and said he didn’t want to “denigrate” the Observer, where he’s worked since 2013. He tweeted that his last day will be April 27.

Tags Donald Trump