As Holidays Approach, The Washington Times’ Evil Santa Drops The Axe

“Good Times Ahead at The Washington Times” blares a Friday headline in FishbowlDC.

As if there could be any more reasons not to read that media site, there’s this hilarious piece of propaganda given to FBDC’s latest editorial duo, who — no offense — have no idea that the head honchos of The Washington Times are perpetually full of feces. So much so I’m starting to think they are beginning to ignore their own bowels and believe their own spin.

In this incredibly manufactured story last week, TWT‘s top spinmeisters got them to write about how well the Moonie-owned newspaper is doing and how they’re slated to make a profit for the first time – ever. One thing they forgot to mention?

LAYOFFS.

Possible numbers range from 6 to 7 to 20. They’re happening last week and this week. The numbers are hard to nail down with even senior-level sources not knowing what’s happening at their own newspaper. Nor do they know if more firings are on tap.

Naturally, everyone is on edge as the holidays approach. TWT President Larry Beasley was dubbed “Evil Santa” a few years ago. The reason: Ever since he came on board in 2012, he lays off employees around the holidays. Merry f–king Christmas, right? “Crazy TWT,” a TWT insider told The Mirror. “Like clockwork around the holidays.”

According to TWT insiders, at least six reporters and one managing editor have been laid off as well as several people from marketing. Could higher-ups be doling out a variety of information to purposely keep employees in the dark and for another, more nefarious reason? A TWT insider remarked, “I wonder if that was done on purpose to ferret out eventual leakers.”

Regardless, the specifics aren’t looking good. Long-term marketing employee Brian Baumann was fired last week with rumors of others at the same time. More were canned Monday. Baumann’s layoff hints at how deep the ongoing cuts are. He is after all, a Moonie, a member of the religious sect that owns and manages the paper, and formerly the personal assistant to Chairman Tom McDevitt, who is also a Moonie.

Sources tell The Mirror that Patrice Hill, an economics reporter, was laid off. She’s written a lot of front-page stories over the years. Probably the worst story we’ve heard: A copy-desk editor was out sick yesterday and his company email access was cut-off before TWT had even informed him that he was laid off. “Class act, those people,” said a TWT insider.

There’s more. Solomon has told staff in the newsroom that senior editor Frank Perley is “retiring in January.” Perley has told colleagues he never said he was retiring. Perley, another Moonie, has been at TWT since 1982 when the newspaper was created. He was even married in a mass wedding performed by Rev. Moon in Madison Square Garden — so he’s a major, long-time insider.

A tipster inside TWT says access to information is nil as details surrounding the layoffs have taken on a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach. Looking around the newsroom is depressing. As the tipster put it, “The newsroom is filled with empty cubicles and a lot of the offices surrounding our newsroom are empty on both floors.”

Sources say employees are afraid to talk to anyone outside of their department for fear of reprisal. Their attitude is, just keep your head down and hope Evil Santa’s axe passes you by. No formal announcement has been made to staff.

That’s all this week’s news, which I’m betting TWT management knew last week when they inflicted that profit B.S. on those newbie reporters at FBDC who don’t realize there’s something fishy about a newspaper whose editor, John Solomon, is also VP of Business and Development. This is among the biggest conflicts that could ever exist at a news organization.

The Mirror sought comment about the layoffs from Solomon. So far, no response.

Evil Santa’s pronouncement last week of so-called future “profitability” is being scoffed at in the newsroom as propaganda to divert attention away from layoffs. The facts: TWT is cutting down the number of pages in its already thin print edition, and money problems have been mounting in the Unification Church, which controls TWT. Since Rev. Moon died in 2012, they’ve been in a period of major fundraising decline.

Good times ahead at TWT? Riiiiight. Right after this round of layoffs.

Oh, and happy holidays!

WARNING TO FUTURE LEAKERS: If you wish to contact me with more information, write me from a private email account or a private phone. In the past, TWT management has kept taps on phone records and internal office emails. You may also direct message me on Twitter and we can meet at an undisclosed location. I promise you, higher-ups will never find us.