Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) asked Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) To be expelled from Congress while criticizing him for “crying over a book contract” after his publisher canceled the release of his book after riots on the US Capitol.
Hawley opposed the Pennsylvania Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden when Congress met to certify his victory over President Donald Trump on Wednesday. A violent crowd of Trump supporters, fueled by false claims that the election had been “stolen”, invaded the building not long after the joint session began.
Publisher Simon & Schuster canceled Hawley’s book contract the next day, prompting him to threaten legal action, which in turn generated a severe reprimand from Ocasio-Cortez.
“You, insurgent and unfounded, attacked our elections,” tweeted Ocasio-Cortez in response to Hawley’s threat to sue the editor. “Your actions fueled a riot and you raised funds in chaos. Five people are dead. Even your GOP colleagues have distanced themselves from your actions. However, here you are crying over a book contract. You should be expelled.”
You, insurgents with a clenched fist, attacked our elections without foundation. Your actions fueled a riot and you raised funds in chaos. Five people died.
Even his GOP colleagues have distanced themselves from their actions.
However, here you are crying over a book. You should be expelled. https://t.co/9Xn8T9vol4
– Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 8, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez previously tweeted that Hawley and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the only senators to make complaints during the certification process, should resign or be expelled by the Senate. She said Cruz “must accept responsibility for how his cowardly and selfish actions contributed to the deaths of four people yesterday”, while accusing him of using violence for fundraising purposes.
JOHANNES EISELE / AFP / Getty
Simon and Schuster announced on Thursday that they would no longer publish Hawley’s book The tyranny of great technology because they “cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what has become a dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom”. Before the cancellation, the book was scheduled to be released in June.
Hawley responded to the news by posting what he called “a statement to the agreed crowd” at the publisher, claiming that the decision was an attack on First Amendment rights and was made because he was trying to protect “voter integrity” with his objection to Biden’s victory.
“It couldn’t be more Orwellian,” wrote Hawley in the statement, which was posted on Twitter. “Simon & Schuster is canceling my contract because I was representing my constituents, conducting a debate in the Senate floor on voter integrity, which they have now decided to redefine as sedition. Let me be clear, this is not just a contract dispute. It is a direct attack on the First Amendment. Only the approved speech can now be published. This is the left trying to cancel everyone who doesn’t approve. I will fight this culture of cancellation with everything I have. See you in court. “
The Senate overwhelmingly rejected the allegations without evidence of massive electoral fraud that had been heavily promoted by Trump before ending Biden’s victory, voting 92-7 against Hawley’s objection and 93-6 against Cruz’s objection.
Newsweek contacted Hawley’s office for comment.