News (Media Awareness Project) - US DC: Wire: Publisher Halts George W Bush Book |
| Title: | US DC: Wire: Publisher Halts George W Bush Book |
| Published On: | 1999-10-22 |
| Source: | Associated Press |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 17:26:18 |
PUBLISHER HALTS GEORGE W. BUSH BOOK
WASHINGTON (AP) - Publication of a new book about Texas Gov. George W. Bush
has been suspended while the publisher resolves questions about the author's
background, including a report that the writer had served a prison term on a
felony charge.
St. Martin's Press had heavily promoted the book, particularly a chapter
that alleged, citing anonymous sources, that Bush had been arrested for
cocaine possession in 1972 and that the record of the arrest had been
expunged as a favor to his father.
The Dallas Morning News reported this week that J.H. Hatfield, author of
"Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President," was
paroled from a Texas prison in 1993 after serving time for a felony conviction.
Hatfield told the newspaper it was a case of mistaken identity.
St. Martin's Press issued a statement Thursday saying it had stopped all
sales, promotion and other publishing activities for the book and was
notifying booksellers.
"We're trying to get to the bottom of this. We just don't know what to think
at this point. We are struggling," Sally Richardson, president of the trade
division of St. Martin's Press, told The New York Times.
The book alleges that Bush was arrested for cocaine possession in 1972 but
the matter was dropped after he performed community service arranged by his
father, former President Bush. The book also alleges that a judge expunged
any record of the arrest from court records at the request of the senior Bush.
Bush, the front-runner for the race for the Republican presidential
nomination, has called the allegations "science fiction" and "totally
ridiculous."
The New York Times said that the Department of Criminal Justice in Texas had
records showing a James H. Hatfield was convicted in 1988 of solicitation of
capital murder and served five years in a Texas prison. It said J.H.
Hatfield's first name was James.
The convicted felon, cited by the Dallas paper, had hired a hit man to use a
car bomb to kill a former employer, according to published reports.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Publication of a new book about Texas Gov. George W. Bush
has been suspended while the publisher resolves questions about the author's
background, including a report that the writer had served a prison term on a
felony charge.
St. Martin's Press had heavily promoted the book, particularly a chapter
that alleged, citing anonymous sources, that Bush had been arrested for
cocaine possession in 1972 and that the record of the arrest had been
expunged as a favor to his father.
The Dallas Morning News reported this week that J.H. Hatfield, author of
"Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President," was
paroled from a Texas prison in 1993 after serving time for a felony conviction.
Hatfield told the newspaper it was a case of mistaken identity.
St. Martin's Press issued a statement Thursday saying it had stopped all
sales, promotion and other publishing activities for the book and was
notifying booksellers.
"We're trying to get to the bottom of this. We just don't know what to think
at this point. We are struggling," Sally Richardson, president of the trade
division of St. Martin's Press, told The New York Times.
The book alleges that Bush was arrested for cocaine possession in 1972 but
the matter was dropped after he performed community service arranged by his
father, former President Bush. The book also alleges that a judge expunged
any record of the arrest from court records at the request of the senior Bush.
Bush, the front-runner for the race for the Republican presidential
nomination, has called the allegations "science fiction" and "totally
ridiculous."
The New York Times said that the Department of Criminal Justice in Texas had
records showing a James H. Hatfield was convicted in 1988 of solicitation of
capital murder and served five years in a Texas prison. It said J.H.
Hatfield's first name was James.
The convicted felon, cited by the Dallas paper, had hired a hit man to use a
car bomb to kill a former employer, according to published reports.
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
