Middle School Melodrama Redux: Karma for Richmond Columnist?

Julie Pitta's column has been pulled from the Richmond Review after she was caught removing campaign signs without permission

The Richmond Review neighborhood newspaper has terminated a column by Julie Pitta after residents witnessed her removing window signs promoting supervisorial and Democratic Central Committee candidate Marjan Philhour from neighborhood businesses without permission over the weekend.

Richmond Review editor Michael Durand announced the decision in an article published Monday after speaking with Pitta earlier in the day.

“Unfortunately, this incident has reflected negatively on the Richmond Review newspaper and the RichmondSunsetNews.com website. I am responsible for making sure our publications act only in the best interests of our community, so I spoke with Pitta this morning and informed her that her column has been terminated,” Durand wrote.

Pitta, a former Forbes editor and Los Angeles Times correspondent who is an outspoken supporter of incumbent Supervisor Connie Chan, was recorded on video removing Philhour campaign signs from the Royal Grounds coffee shop on Geary Blvd. on Saturday. Reached for comment on the matter Pitta said that she had obtained permission to do so from the business after explaining that she was a regular customer and telling them “I won’t come back if that sign is here.”  This account has been disputed, and further accounts of Pitta allegedly removing signs have been emerging on social media.

Philhour is running against Chan in the November supervisorial election, and both Chan and Philhour are running on opposing slates in the March contest for Democratic County Central Committee.

Durand is seeking a new columnist to replace Pitta and represent the left-leaning side of community opinion in the Richmond.