S&S US cancels book from US senator Josh Hawley

Simon & Schuster US has cancelled its forthcoming book from US senator Josh Hawley, following criticism of his actions in relation to the attack on the Capitol Hill building this week.

The publisher pulled plans to publish the Republican Missouri senator's non-fiction work, The Tyranny of Big Tech, which was scheduled for release in June. Hawley has come under fire for challenging the recent election results, and has been accused of inciting the Donald Trump supporters who stormed Congress on Wednesday (6th January).

On Thursday evening (7th January), the company released a statement saying: “After witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel publication of Senator Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book, The Tyranny of Big Tech. We did not come to this decision lightly. 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.”

Hawley took to Twitter, questioning the legality of S&S' move. He said: “This could not be more Orwellian. Simon & Schuster is cancelling my contract because I was representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity, which they now have decided to redefine as sedition. 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. I’ll see you in court.”

The publisher responded that it was “confident that we are acting fully within our contractual rights to cancel publication” of the book.