Hawley book deal canceled

(AP) — Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is being scolded and blamed for Wednesday’s riots at the U.S. Capitol. Hawley’s political mentor, former Sen. John Danforth, says supporting him was the “worst decision” he’s ever made. The 41-year-old first-term senator has rapidly emerged as one of President Donald Trump’s most loyal backers in Congress, and he staged an Electoral College challenge that became the focus of a violent siege of the Capitol. He may be among the most tarnished by the events of Jan. 6 for years to come. One home-state newspaper editorial board declared he has “blood on his hands.”

A planned book by Sen. Josh Hawley has been canceled by its publisher in the wake of this week’s siege of the Capitol in Washington by a mob of pro-Trump supporters. The Missouri Republican is calling the decision “Orwellian” and vowed to fight it in court. Hawley is a leading backer of President Trump’s baseless claims that the election was stolen and that he prevailed over Democrat Joseph Biden. Hawley has often been cited as possible future presidential candidate and his book, scheduled to come out in June, was an intended forum for a favorite theme _ the undue power of Google, Facebook and other internet giants.