Gingrich Inks a Book Deal for $4 Million

House Speaker-to-be Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), a struggling author whose earlier books never got much notice, cashed in on his political success this week by landing an estimated $4-million book contract--and Democrats said they were outraged by his sudden good fortune.

Gingrich and HarperCollins publishers announced Thursday that they have concluded a deal for two books, a political manifesto and an anthology of writings about democracy. Publishing industry sources said that the value of the deal could exceed $4 million when foreign sales are included.

But White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers and House Majority Whip David E. Bonior (D-Mich.) seized on the announcement as a chance to dent Gingrich’s image as a populist and quickly complained that the deal is unseemly.

“It raises some questions,” Myers said at the White House, asking reporters to investigate.

And Bonior, in an unusually bare-knuckled attack, charged that Gingrich’s contract is part of a political deal with Fox television mogul Rupert Murdoch, who also controls HarperCollins. The Australian-born Murdoch is under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission because of allegations that he improperly used foreign capital to buy six U.S. television stations.

In his most specific charge, Bonior called the contract “a sweetheart deal” and charged that Gingrich’s House Republicans are planning legislation “that will overturn the very law Mr. Murdoch is being accused of violating.”

Bonior offered no evidence of a direct link between Gingrich and Murdoch. But, he declared, “if this is not a gift, if there is no quid pro quo, Mr. Gingrich ought to tell us” whether any other publisher was willing to offer him $4 million for the books.

Murdoch, through a spokesman, said that he had “absolutely no knowledge of this deal” until it was announced.

Gingrich denied any political fix and shrugged off the attacks. “Conservative books sell,” he told the Associated Press during a visit to Ohio. “I can’t help it if liberal books don’t sell.”

Indeed, one lesson of the episode is to dispel any remaining illusions that the Age of Gingrich will see much bipartisanship or old-fashioned congressional comity among either Democrats or Republicans.

“This is just the normal cut and thrust of politics,” Gingrich spokesman Tony Blankley said. “The Democrats will take shots when they want to.”

He said that Gingrich plans to submit the book deal to the House Ethics Committee before formally signing a contract with HarperCollins. House rules allow members of Congress to receive money for books they write as long as the payments come from “established publishers under usual and customary contract terms.”

Vice President Al Gore, for example, has earned more than $700,000 for a book on the environment, “Earth in the Balance,” that he wrote as a senator. However, Gore’s contract guaranteed him only $100,000; the rest has come in the form of royalties on the book’s unexpectedly strong sales.

Bonior acknowledged that members of Congress traditionally have been allowed to earn income from their books. “But, you know, the question is, is this unusual? Is this excessive?” he asked. “My God, it’s an incredible amount of money.”

“This was a normal book deal,” Gingrich spokesman Blankley replied. “It was a complete arm’s-length transaction. . . . There were several publishers bidding actively.”

In fact, a publishing industry source said, Gingrich’s agents submitted his proposal exclusively to HarperCollins several weeks ago and other publishers hastily offered bids only after they caught wind of the impending deal.

HarperCollins, which has enjoyed considerable success with books by conservative figures, including former Vice President Dan Quayle, said that it plans to print at least 750,000 copies of Gingrich’s manifesto--a gigantic number in the publishing world.

Publishing sources said that the reported $4-million advance for two books is large, but not unthinkable or unprecedented for a figure as famous--and as “hot,” as book promoters say--as the new Speaker. Former President Ronald Reagan won a contract for $7 million in 1989, although he was out of office at the time. The book sold poorly.

HarperCollins Vice President Jack McKeown said that the Gingrich book, tentatively titled, “To Renew America,” would allow Americans “to finally hear directly from the source what Newt Gingrich has to say.” Gingrich has made numerous appearances on television since the Republican victory in the Nov. 8 elections.

The FCC has been investigating whether Murdoch violated federal law by using his Australian holding company, News Corp. Ltd., to acquire six American television stations which formed the core of the Fox TV network.

U.S. law prohibits foreign individuals or companies from owning more than 25% of a broadcasting station. Murdoch became an American citizen shortly before the acquisitions, but News Corp. remained an Australian firm.

Some Republican members of Congress have proposed abolishing the foreign ownership law, arguing that it is an obstacle to a free market in broadcasting. If the law were eliminated, Murdoch and News Corp. might still face FCC fines for their earlier deals but their right to own the stations presumably no longer would be in question.

However, a spokeswoman for the author of the main Republican proposal, Rep. Michael G. Oxley (R-Ohio), said that the congressman did not have Murdoch in mind when he began working on the idea. And Gingrich’s spokesman said that the GOP leader has taken no position on the proposed change in the law.

Nevertheless, President Clinton and other Democrats seemed delighted at a chance to take a poke at their conservative nemesis.

At a farewell ceremony for Myers, who is leaving her job at the White House, Clinton feigned wonderment at the $4-million figure.

“You know, I made $36,000 a year for 12 years and was glad of it,” he said, putting himself on the side of the non-book-writing class.

“I wish I’d known I didn’t have to leave to cash in,” Myers said with a laugh.

‘Contract With America’

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