While he may be the longtime owner of political mag The New Republic, Marty Peretz has not been an active editor for the publication for years.  Peretz has shed himself of the editor-in-chief title and will leave that role to Richard Just, the man who took over for Franklin Foer in December.  According to the New York Post’s Keith Kelly, Peretz left a farewell note explaining why he has relieved himself of the editor role.

I have been with The New Republic going on 37 years, almost all of them with the title of editor-in-chief.  The truth is that I hardly ever actually edited an article for the magazine. But, frankly, it was my vision and the vision of my compatriots of what was needed for a serious journal of opinion in American society that defined what TNR has become since 1974.

The 70-year-old Peretz, who now resides in Israel, added that he will serve as editor-in-chief emeritus and contribute to TNR’s website.