ALBANY—Gov. Andrew Cuomo's book deal with HarperCollins is worth at least $700,000, according to a disclosure form Cuomo filed last week.
The publishing house is planning to release Cuomo's autobiography, “All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life,” in August. Cuomo's 2013 tax returns showed $188,333 in income from the book, but the governor's aides said $35,127 of that advance was spent on “representation and legal fees associated with the book.”
A disclosure form filed last week with the state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics reflects that payment, and shows Cuomo is due between $550,000 to $650,000 in additional, deferred compensation. A Cuomo spokesman would not immediately say if the governor would also receive additional royalties linked to book sales.
The book contract, signed after his first full year in office, was responsible for nearly doubling Cuomo's income between 2012 and 2013, tax returns show.
How many copies of this book do you think Harper Collins sells?
Do they think there's a readership out there for Andrew Cuomo's memoir?
Or maybe they think fans of Chris Cuomo will buy it?
Andrew Cuomo has the reputation for being one of the biggest asses in politics.
I can't imagine the book sells more than a few thousand copies at best.
So why did Murdoch give Cuomo at least $700,000 in compensation for this memoir?
Notice when the contract with Harper Collins was signed - right after his first year in office.
That was when Cuomo and Harper Collins Rupert Murdoch were still best buds (as demonstrated by how Murdoch flack Fred Dicker treated Cuomo in the NY Post.)
Even then, Murdoch had to know that few copies of this book would be sold.
This was a bribe from Murdoch to Cuomo in the form of a book contract.
I can't wait for the book to come out and see how many copies get sold.
I suspect this Cuomo memoir will be up there as a loss-leader, along with Murdoch's other great loss leader, the NY Post.
Have them send me a review copy and I will highlight all the passages about education policy. I am not in the mood for a close read infortunately.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could read this book even if I received a reviewer's copy. Would sit in my stomach like a Sandra Lee recipe.
DeleteTime to watch for Amplify getting contracts with the state...
ReplyDeleteThat was my thinking as well, Michael.
DeleteCan someone explain how Cuomo has a monster lead over Astorino if on this blog and others, as well as general conversations lead me to believe Cuomo is not very liked. How dies this guy have such a huge lead? Who's voting for this guy? Where are Cuomo's votes coming from?
DeleteLibraries and schools will be forced to acquire a copy of the book.
ReplyDeleteit might sell ten thousand copies at full price and a few thousand
at a deeply discounted price. This book deal is just a quid pro cuomo bribe.
Maybe they'll put them @ the entrances of the NYC Public Schools, like the Post.(Oops, that was during the Doomturd years).
ReplyDeleteBTW, just wondering if Cathy Black was at that 9/11 Museum cocktsil party.Right up her alley, don't you know, old chum?
I wonder what H.C and Rupert get out of this deal?
ReplyDelete