The Washington Times fires editorial desk, black writer

Jan. 9, 2009, 1:20 a.m. - The Washington Times yesterday laid off its entire editorial department - including one of the paper's few blacks, a source said.

The firings on the editorial desk, which contained three of the paper's blacks, means that the broadsheet will be much less diverse in its opinion pages.

Among those getting the ax are former national reporter turned editorial writer Brian DeBose, the source said.

Deborah Simmons, the paper's editorial page editor, is said to be accepting a job as a special correspondent in the newsroom, according to the Times' news release. Tara Wall, the paper's deputy editorial page editor, is taking a job as senior editor.

The Times has not had a reputation of being the most diverse newspaper. The paper now has only three black staff writers and four black editors.

The Times hired a black recruiter, former Metropolitan Editor Carleton Bryant, in 2006.