The Washington Times said Sunday that President and Publisher Jonathan Slevin is leaving the paper.
Times spokesman Don Meyer said Slevin's contract will be allowed to expire Friday and that the paper is looking for a replacement.
In a letter to colleagues, Slevin, who took the position in October, described conflicts between him and the board of directors. He said the two-person board had been playing an "intrusive role" in day-to-day affairs since February.
Slevin's letter was published by the Politico news website on Sunday, and Meyer confirmed its authenticity. Meyer said the board would not have any comment Sunday.
Slevin said board members had gotten involved in financial, legal and personnel matters, though "they lack the operational knowledge to make judicious decisions." At the same time, he said they rarely visited the Times' office and had failed to approve the paper's budget, "leaving us in operational limbo."
Slevin said he wrote the letter despite instructions from the board not to say goodbye.
The Times was founded in 1982 and funded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, leader of the Unification Church. The paper has often been viewed as a conservative alternative to the much larger Washington Post. Under Slevin, it went through a major reorganization, cutting its staff by more than 40 percent, eliminating the sports section and most local coverage, and altering its distribution strategy.
In his letter, Slevin wrote that the Times is "on the cusp of becoming a viable commercial operation for the first time in its storied 28-year history."
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