Councilmember Pynoos' Email to Weekly Raises Press Influence Questions

An email exchange between Beverly Hills Councilmember Rebecca Pynoos and Beverly Hills Weekly publisher Josh Gross is drawing scrutiny after Pynoos challenged the newspaper's coverage of Board of Education candidate Kimberly Lifschitz, questioned why it had not published similar criticism of another elected official and expressly invoked her own position as an elected official.

The exchange, obtained by the Beverly Hills Standard, followed the Weekly's reporting on social media posts attributed to Lifschitz. Pynoos questioned the newspaper's decision to focus on the posts rather than Lifschitz's campaign kickoff, which she said attracted more than 100 attendees.

Pynoos then turned her attention to Beverly Hills Unified School District Governing Board Member Russell Stuart, questioning why the Weekly had not reported on what she characterized as Stuart's "years of social media bullying."

"As an elected official, I find the amplification of such bullying deeply troubling."

Gross pushed back on Pynoos' characterization and defended the Weekly's editorial judgment.

"We believe the story on Kim Lifschitz's social media posts to be newsworthy and relevant."

Gross said Lifschitz had been given an opportunity to explain the posts and noted that she had not claimed they were fraudulent. He also rejected the premise that critical reporting about a candidate constituted bullying, writing that voters should be able to evaluate candidates based on their credentials, behavior and reasons for seeking office.

The Weekly is one of three locally adjudicated newspapers recognized by the City of Beverly Hills. City records show that locally adjudicated publications participate in the City's annual process for legal notices and display advertising, with City Council involvement in determining the methodology used for newspaper advertising awards.

Following receipt of the email exchange, Stuart filed a formal complaint with City Manager Ryan Gohlich and City Attorney Laurence Wiener. Stuart objected to Pynoos invoking her elected position while challenging the editorial decisions of an adjudicated newspaper and directing the publisher's attention toward alleged conduct by another elected official.

Stuart is both an elected BHUSD Governing Board member and owner of the Beverly Hills Standard. The Standard is disclosing that relationship because Stuart is directly referenced in the underlying email and subsequently filed the complaint with the City.

The complaint does not allege that Pynoos expressly threatened the Weekly's advertising or funding. Instead, Stuart asked the City to examine whether invoking elected office under those circumstances created an appearance of governmental pressure on a newspaper that maintains a financial relationship with the City.

The Beverly Hills Standard subsequently sent Pynoos a detailed request for comment and provided the remaining members of the City Council, Gohlich and Wiener an opportunity to respond. Among the questions presented to Pynoos were why she invoked her position "as an elected official," whether she intended to influence the Weekly's coverage of Lifschitz or encourage coverage of Stuart, and whether she considered such communication appropriate given the newspaper's relationship with the City. The Standard provided a response deadline of 3 p.m. Tuesday, September 8, and will update this story with any response received.

*** UPDATE ***

Following publication, Councilmember Rebecca Pynoos responded to the Beverly Hills Standard's request for comment, denying that her reference to her elected position was intended to influence the Beverly Hills Weekly or its publisher.

"My email was sent to from my personal account, not a city account, as a private citizen. Simply identifying myself as an elected official was in no way meant to influence a publisher, it is a matter of fact."

"I was expressing my personal opinion regarding bullying and media coverage, not that of the city or city council."

Pynoos' response does not dispute that she invoked her status as an elected official in the original communication, nor does it dispute that she questioned the Weekly's coverage of Kimberly Lifschitz while raising what she characterized as Russell Stuart's "social media bullying." Rather, Pynoos disputes the suggestion that invoking her elected position was intended to exert influence over the publisher.

Pynoos did not address the Standard's question asking whether she was encouraging the Weekly to publish negative coverage concerning Stuart. She also did not respond to questions asking whether she had communicated with other City officials about the Weekly's coverage or whether she considered it appropriate for a sitting councilmember to invoke elected status when challenging the editorial decisions of an adjudicated newspaper with a financial relationship with the City.