Jim Newton - Editor at Large

Jim Newton is editor at large of the Los Angeles Times. He serves as a member of The Times’ editorial board, advises on editorial matters and writes and edits for the editorial page and Op-Ed, including a weekly column examining the policy and politics of Southern California. Previously, he served as editor of the editorial pages, supervising the editorial board and overseeing its work as well as the Op-Ed page, Sunday Opinion and letters to the editor.

A veteran of the Los Angeles Times, he has worked as a reporter, editor and bureau chief and has covered, among other beats, the Los Angeles Police Department, the administration of Mayor Richard Riordan, federal law enforcement and state and local politics.

Newton came to the Los Angeles Times in 1989, having previously worked as a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and as a clerk at the New York Times, where he served as columnist James Reston’s assistant from 1985-86. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the recipient of numerous local and national awards in journalism. He was part of the Los Angeles Times’ coverage of the Los Angeles riots in 1992 and the earthquake of 1994, both of which were awarded Pulitzer Prizes to the staff.

Also an author, Newton in 2006 published “Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made,” a critically acclaimed best-selling biography of the former chief justice and California governor. In 2011, he followed that book with “Eisenhower: The White House Years.” It too received widespread praise, and was a national best-seller. He is presently collaborating with Leon Panetta, former CIA director, secretary of Defense and congressman, on Panetta’s autobiography.

Newton is a senior fellow with UCLA’s School of Public Affairs. He formerly served as a John Jacobs Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies from 2003-04. Newton is married and has one son, Jack.