Washington Post investigative reporters dug into the paper’s incoming editor Robert Winnett and revealed he has used fraudulent methods to gather news for British publications.
In an investigative report titled “Incoming Post editor tied to self-described ’thief’ who claimed role in his reporting,” the newspaper described the connection between “thief” John Ford, and Mr. Winnett when he worked for the Sunday Times in London.
The report relies on book drafts and documents from Mr. Ford’s unpublished book.
After being arrested in 2010 for trying to steal a copy of former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s soon-to-be-released memoir, Mr. Ford called Mr. Winnett to help him. Mr. Winnett told Mr. Ford that the “remarkable omerta” of British journalism would ensure the underhanded deeds never came to light.
The Post detailed the overlap of the people who Mr. Ford was illegally obtaining information about and the stories that Mr. Winnett was writing for the Sunday Times. Those included the rise and fall of Leeds United Football Club, Mr. Blair’s finances and plans by Britain’s wealthiest elites to buy an astronomically priced Mercedes-Benz.
Mr. Winnett, currently deputy editor at the Telegraph, did not respond for comment from The Post.
The article comes as Post Publisher and CEO William Lewis also faces scrutiny for his tenure at the Sunday Times in the early 2000s. He allegedly has ties to stories written using hacked phone records. He has denied wrongdoing.
Mr. Lewis, who would have been the one to hire Mr. Winnett, told Post staff earlier this month that Mr. Winnett is a “world-class” journalist who will “restore an even greater degree of investigative rigor” to the outlet.
Mr. Winnett is supposed to take over as executive editor later this year.
This all comes at a turbulent time of restructuring and staff shakeups at The Post. Earlier this month, executive editor Sally Buzbee, the first woman to head the newsroom, abruptly stepped down without explanation. Her resignation came after reports of heated conversations between herself and Mr. Lewis in May about the paper’s coverage of the phone-hacking lawsuit.
Mr. Lewis, who took over as publisher in January, also announced a new plan to split the newsroom into three separate divisions, each with its own manager. The newspaper reported that Ms. Buzbee chose to step down rather than be put in charge of one of the divisions.
The three divisions are news reporting, opinion and one focused on new ways to increase engagement and readership.
The reorganization followed buyouts to reduce The Post’s staff by 240 people to help address the more than $70 million loss the newspaper suffered over the past year.
The Post said Monday that Cameron Barr, a former Post managing editor who stepped down last year, will now be back to oversee the paper’s coverage of scandals regarding Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett.
“We cover The Washington Post independently, rigorously and fairly,” The Post said in a statement. “Given perceived and potential conflicts, we have asked former senior managing editor Cameron Barr, who stepped down from that position in 2023 and now has a contractual relationship as a senior associate editor, to oversee this coverage. The publisher has no involvement in or influence on our reporting.”