Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.) has landed a six-figure book, his book publisher announced this week. The former governor signed with independent publisher Phoenix Books. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the figure is significantly less than the amount paid for other major political memoirs, including one from Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, who landed more than $1 million for his book. Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) is reportedly seeking $11 million for her book deal. “The governor chose to go with a large independent company because he wanted to tell his story without any restrictions over content that might’ve come with a major publishing house,” said Blagojevich’s publicist Glenn Selig. “There were some people in high places who didn’t want the governor to write this book and worked to try to squash a book deal.”Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office by the Illinois legislature after he was arrested following allegations that he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s Senate seat.
The former governor has not been indicted and has maintained his innocence since his arrest.
In interviews since being removed from office, Blagojevich has lashed out at the state lawmakers who voted to remove him from office, accusing them of cheating on their wives and drinking to excess. He has hinted that he has more to tell in a book.
“A bunch of these lawmakers go down to Springfield, nobody even knows who they are, they’re away from their families. It’s a whole different world down there… a lot of them drink in excess, very few of them know what’s going on,” he said last month.
{Politico/Matzav.com Newscenter}
“CRIME DOESN’T PAY?”