Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, had a book deal ripped up on Thursday, one day after the senator was among a cadre of Republican members of Congress who objected to counting the Electoral College votes in the states of Arizona and Pennsylvania.
The attempt to overturn the results of November’s presidential election set off a violent protest in Washington DC, as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, rioted and disrupted a joint session of Congress for nearly six hours. Dozens were arrested, and four people died amid the riots
Famed publisher Simon & Shuster was set to publish the book “The Tyranny of the Big Tech.” The publisher announced Thursday it would no longer print the book.
“We did not come to this decision lightly,” Simon & Shuster said in a statement. “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 senator responded by alleging that his freedom of speech is being violated. He threatened to file a lawsuit against the publisher.
“This could not be more 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,” Hawley 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. I will fight this cancel culture with everything I have. We'll see you in court.”
While the issue of censorship can be debated, Hawley falsely claims that this is a violation of the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech from government regulations, and not from private companies.