The great paradox—and shame—of the New York Times, Washington Post, and many other prestigious news outlets is that they are brimming with top-notch reporters and editors who consistently produce stellar work. Yet, that distinguished journalism stands as a stark indictment of their political coverage, which insistently betrays the best traditions of the profession. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

They know that Hillary Clinton’s campaign manufactured the false claim, embraced and amplified by the highest levels of the Department of Justice and the FBI, that Donald Trump conspired with the Russians to steal the 2016 race. Instead of working to expose this massive effort at election denial, they advanced the conspiracy theory for years before working to cover up the truth as it emerged.

They know that significant questions surround the business dealings of Joe Biden’s son Hunter and his brother James—including evidence from their former business partner that the president himself lied about and profited from these deals. Instead of using their vast resources and talent to probe this alleged malfeasance, they have largely ignored the mounting evidence of corruption.

Instead of shining a light, they have intentionally kept their audiences in the dark regarding stories of the greatest consequence. (No doubt those readers were surprised to learn this week about record early voting in Georgia since the state’s new voting law had been described to them as “Jim Crow 2.0.” Likewise, they were probably shocked to learn that despite the plague of “systemic racism” in the U.S. healthcare system, whites are now more likely to die from COVID than blacks.)