There’s no rule we can find against a NYT reporter or contributor quoting a spouse, former spouse, or personal friend. But maybe there should be. It reflects laziness and a disdain for real reporting, which should involve more effort than pushing the speed dial on a reporter’s cell phone.

Just as reporter Brad Stone got into trouble recently for failing to seek interview subjects outside his comfort zone for a page-one story, it seems to us esecially lazy for Cohen to quote his ex-wife as one of only two interviews included in his post. It also seems wrong for him not to disclose the relationship to readers.