Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a 28-page demand to The New York Times seeking six years of internal records, citing his oversight role of a pension fund that owns roughly 160,000 shares in the company. Uthmeier alleged repeated publication errors and insufficient board oversight that could harm shareholders, and set an August 24 deadline for a response. The Times called the request a "clear attempt to chill" First Amendment-protected journalism and said it will respond. The paper also reported adding 280,000 digital subscribers in Q2.
Florida AG Demands Six Years Of New York Times Records; Paper Calls It A 'Clear Attempt To Chill' Press Freedom
Rebecca Blackwell/AP photo
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has sent a 28-page letter to The New York Times demanding six years of internal records and threatening litigation if the newspaper does not comply. Uthmeier says the records are needed because the pension fund he helps oversee owns roughly 160,000 shares of The New York Times Company and he is concerned that repeated errors and public criticism of the paper could harm shareholders.
What the Letter Says
According to the letter, Uthmeier — who serves as trustee and legal counsel for Florida's State Board of Administration — cited examples in which The Times issued corrections or faced public backlash over reporting and opinion pieces. He alleged "repeated publication of factually unsupported content" and criticized the perceived absence of board oversight of the paper's editorial standards. The letter gives The Times until August 24, 14 days after the letter was sent, to respond and warns that the attorney general may sue in New York courts if the request is ignored.
Response From The New York Times
"We are aware of the demand letter, which, while positioned as a request under corporate law, is a clear attempt to chill First Amendment-protected journalism," a Times spokesperson told The Miami Herald. "We will respond more fully in due course."
Context And Background
Uthmeier was appointed to his post by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after DeSantis named his predecessor, Ashley Moody, to the U.S. Senate. A Miami Herald report noted that Moody had been seen as "quiet, media adverse," while Uthmeier has turned the office into a more active, legally intensive role — pursuing matters that range from probes into Raul Castro and OpenAI to inquiries involving Catholic bishops, according to the Herald.
Potential Stakes
Uthmeier argues that the issues he cites could expose the pension fund's investment in The New York Times Company to risk. The attorney general's office did not tell the Herald whether the state planned to divest the holdings. The Times, meanwhile, has framed the demand as an attack on press freedom and signaled it will respond.
Financial Note
Separately, The New York Times recently reported its Q2 earnings and said it added 280,000 digital subscribers in the quarter.
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