A former editor at a Catholic news outlet says management ordered a near-total blackout on Israel coverage after meetings with donors and the US ambassador to the Vatican — a story about media independence and outside pressure.

• A Catholic news organization allegedly told staff to drastically cut Israel coverage, at one point banning it entirely until the US midterms.
• The order reportedly followed meetings between Catholic Vote's CEO, Kelsey Reinhardt, another executive, US Ambassador to the Vatican Brian Burch, and donors.
• The blackout was said to extend to reporting on Israel's treatment of Christians in the region.
• The editor objected to his supervisor, saying the policy violated his conscience.

Outlook: Expect pushback from Catholic readers and more scrutiny of how donors and diplomats shape religious media ahead of the midterms.