Johann Hari Turns Down Job Offer From Independent

On Friday, British journalist Johann Hari revealed that he will not be returning to the Independent.

Hari took leave from the newspaper last year after he was repeatedly accused of plagiarizing, and writing slanderous Wikipedia entries about his colleagues. He was stripped of a major journalism prize, andowned up to journalistic misconduct.

The newspaper had been expecting Hari's return in a few weeks, but the journalist said that he will not be accepting the Independent's job offer.

He said that the newspaper's integrity should not have to bear the consequences of his ethical transgressions, writing, "The Independent has been great to me, and we need its principles in the public arena without distractions." He also revealed that he will be devoting his attention to a book project that requires international travel, though he will still be writing occasional articles for other publications.