Book publisher sues Trump aide Mark Meadows for election claims

Reimagined Article: Publisher Sues Mark Meadows Over Contradictory Claims in Book

The Lawsuit

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows is facing legal action from his publisher for allegedly contradicting a key claim made in his book. The publisher, All Seasons Press, has filed a lawsuit in Florida, citing media reports that Meadows testified under oath that his book contains known falsehoods. The lawsuit argues that this contradicts Meadows’ previous statement that “all statements” in the book are true.

The Allegations

Meadows’ book, titled “The Chief’s Chief,” asserts that Donald Trump was swindled out of reelection as president in 2020 due to widespread ballot fraud. However, according to the lawsuit, Meadows testified that he had warned Trump against making claims of election fraud and that neither he nor Trump actually believed such claims. All Seasons Press claims that Meadows’ contradictory testimony has caused significant damages to its reputation and has resulted in the book being pulled from the market.

The Lawsuit Details

All Seasons Press is seeking more than $3 million in damages, alleging that Meadows breached his promises to the publisher. The lawsuit highlights the public’s waning interest in the book following rumors that Meadows was secretly cooperating with Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith. Meadows’ lawyer, George Terwilliger, has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

The Indictment

Meadows, along with Trump and 17 other individuals, was indicted in August for alleged crimes related to their attempts to overturn Trump’s loss to President Joe Biden in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election. Meadows has pleaded not guilty, as have most of the other defendants.

The Book Agreement

The lawsuit reveals that Meadows originally signed an agreement with a different publisher to write the book shortly after the Capitol riot in January 2021. All Seasons Press later obtained the rights to publish the book, agreeing to pay Meadows $350,000 in three installments. The publisher expected the book to follow the format of previous White House chiefs of staff, but Meadows chose to focus on events surrounding the 2020 presidential election and the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

The Controversial Claims

The lawsuit points out that Meadows’ book asserts that Trump was the true winner of the 2020 Presidential Election and that the election was stolen through widespread fraud. Chapter 15 of the book is titled “The Long Con” and begins with the statement “I knew he didn’t lose” in all capital letters. Meadows also wrote that Trump was “absolutely correct” in claiming that he did not lose the election.

The Withheld Payment

All Seasons Press informed Meadows in late 2021 that it would withhold the final installment payment until it was satisfied that he had not changed his claim about election fraud. Meadows’ lawyers demanded the payment in December 2021, denying allegations of cooperation with the House committee investigating the January 6th insurrection. All Seasons Press eventually paid the final installment two months later.

Cooperation with Special Counsel

In October of this year, ABC News reported that Meadows had spoken to special counsel Jack Smith’s team multiple times, including testifying before a federal grand jury. Meadows reportedly informed Smith’s team that he repeatedly told Trump that the allegations of significant voting fraud were baseless. CBS News also reported extensive cooperation between Meadows and Smith’s election interference probe of Trump.

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Read More of this Story at www.cnbc.com – 2023-11-06 17:00:19