Simon and Schuster Cancels Josh Hawley Book Deal, Senator Responds Accordingly

Shortly after the election, Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and their allies in the mainstream media were floating talk of an “Enemies List” of Trump administration officials and supporters in the House and Senate. The idea was that they should be canceled and shunned from polite society for their supposed role in “enabling Trump” to do what Democrats believed were awful things like fulfilling his campaign promises and whatnot.

Fast forward two months, and it would appear that Sen. Josh Hawley’s number on the Enemies List has been called:

Publishing house Simon & Schuster is canceling Sen. Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book because of the violent riots on Capitol Hill, the company announced on Thursday, prompting the Missouri Republican to threaten legal action.

“As a publisher it will always be our mission to amplify a variety of voices and viewpoints: at the same time we take seriously our larger public responsibility as citizens, and cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom,” the publishing house said in a statement on Thursday.

Simon & Schuster has CANCELLED the publication of Senator Josh Hawley’s upcoming book. The company said it "cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat.” https://t.co/gPnu4GrKaF

— Elizabeth A. Harris (@Liz_A_Harris) January 7, 2021

Here’s their full statement:

pic.twitter.com/NdIkmGbCFI

— Simon & Schuster (@simonschuster) January 7, 2021

In other words, Hawley must pay the price for something he has a legal authority to do under the Electoral Count Act of 1887: Object to Electoral College votes.

After Hawley got the news that “The Tyranny of Big Tech” was no longer going to be published by Simon and Schuster, he responded accordingly in a statement on Twitter, calling it “Orwellian”:

“Simon & Schuster is canceling my contract because I was representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity, which they have now decided to redefine as sedition,” he said. “Let me be clear, this is not just a contract dispute. It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment. Only approved speech can now be published. This is the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of. We’ll see you in court.”

My statement on the woke mob at @simonschuster pic.twitter.com/pDxtZvz5J0

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 7, 2021

Is Hawley’s book likely to be picked up by another publisher? I have no inside information but I’m confident it will be. Regnery comes to mind, but there are others who no doubt would also be interested in making a deal with the Senator to promote and publish his book.

Does the publishing company have the right to back out on their deal to publish Hawley’s book? They’re a private company, so of course they do, barring contractual agreements that may state otherwise.

But should they? No. It sets a bad precedent and suggests that political figures – usually those on the right – should be punished for WrongThink.

And let’s be clear here what the “WrongThink” in this instance was: It was Hawley having the audacity to do exactly what Democratic members of Congress did in at least three different recent presidential elections: Bush’s in 2000, and 2004, and Trump’s in 2016. Funny how we didn’t hear accusations of “sedition” from the media from the Usual Suspects on the left in those instances.

Considering the left’s prior talk about “Enemies Lists” full of Republicans, no one should be surprised at Simon and Schuster’s actions here.

But it does serve as a very important reminder that, thanks to the reprehensible actions of a small group of rioters, Democrats and their allies in various industries are going to use yesterday’s unfortunate events as an excuse to cancel anyone on the right who dares to express legitimate disagreement with media/Democrat narratives on the election, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and all the rest.

As per the norm, the left’s “remedies” for wrongdoing always make the situation worse, not better. By design.