A massive shakeup at Politico will see CEO Jim VandeHei and White House correspondent Mike Allen and several other longtime, senior staffers at the news organization gone by the end of the year or sooner, pushed out by disagreements over spending, according to reports.
Sources told The Huffington Post that Politico founder and publisher Robert Allbritton “had enough with them spending s***loads of money,” though in a memo released to staff Thursday, Mr. Allbritton spun the departure as more amicable.
“I want to tell you about some big news. Jim VandeHei, Kim Kingsley, Roy Schwartz, Mike Allen and Danielle Jones have told me of their wish to move on from Politico. Jim, Mike and Roy will be here through the 2016 election; Kim will be with us until early summer. Danielle plans to leave before then,” Mr. Allbritton, said in a memo Thursday.
“These transitions make perfect sense for the publication, coming a decade (almost to the day) after I recruited them to join this cause.”
Mr. Schwartz is the chief revenue officer of Politico, Ms. Kingsley is the COO, and Ms. Jones is the executive vice president. Politico’s top editor, Susan Glasser, is also expected to step down at the end of 2016 but will continue to play a role in the newsroom from Israel, where she is moving with her husband, Mr. Allbritton said.
A source also told HuffPo that those leaving the magazine planned to start a new media organization that would not compete with Politico.
Mr. VandeHei wrote his own upbeat-sounding memo, confirming that he plans “to start a new venture when I depart.”
Politico co-founder John Harris will remain at Politico and take over the title of publisher in addition to the title of editor in chief, Mr. Allbritton said.
• Jennifer Pompi can be reached at jpompi@washingtontimes.com.
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