New York Times editorial page editor James Bennet testified Wednesday in an open hearing that he did not mean to imply a "causal link" between a political action committee tied to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and a 2011 attack on a then-congresswoman and others.

Palin, who served as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election, sued the Times on June 27 over a June 14 editorial that, before it was corrected, said that "the link to political incitement was clear" between a graphic produced by Palin's PAC and the murderous rampage of Jared Loughner. In Palin's suit, it was argued that the Times defamed her by suggesting that Loughner acted against then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords because a "stylized target" was placed over her district by the PAC as one to target for electoral gain.