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Donald Trump's lawyers demand Art of the Deal co-writer pay back royalties Donald Trump's lawyers demand Art of the Deal co-writer pay back royalties
(about 1 month later)
US presidential candidate Donald Trump has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Tony Schwartz, the co-author of Trump’s book The Art of the Deal, after Schwartz told media he felt a “deep sense of remorse” for having portrayed the mogul in a positive light in the book.US presidential candidate Donald Trump has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Tony Schwartz, the co-author of Trump’s book The Art of the Deal, after Schwartz told media he felt a “deep sense of remorse” for having portrayed the mogul in a positive light in the book.
On Monday, the same day a lengthy interview with Schwartz was published in the New Yorker about his time with Trump, the general counsel and vice-president of the Trump Organisation Jason D Greenblatt issued the warning to Schwartz, which has been published in full on the New Yorker website.On Monday, the same day a lengthy interview with Schwartz was published in the New Yorker about his time with Trump, the general counsel and vice-president of the Trump Organisation Jason D Greenblatt issued the warning to Schwartz, which has been published in full on the New Yorker website.
Related: Art of the Deal co-writer says Trump could 'end civilisation' if elected
Greenblatt also demanded that Schwartz send a “certified check made payable to Mr Trump” for all the royalties he earned on The Art of the Deal, plus his advance. Schwartz, under the deal he arranged with Trump when the book was published in 1987, was awarded half of the $500,000 (£375,000) advance from the publisher Random House and has earned half the royalties on every copy sold since. He has pledged to donate all royalties earned in 2016 to charities supporting immigrants and victims of torture.Greenblatt also demanded that Schwartz send a “certified check made payable to Mr Trump” for all the royalties he earned on The Art of the Deal, plus his advance. Schwartz, under the deal he arranged with Trump when the book was published in 1987, was awarded half of the $500,000 (£375,000) advance from the publisher Random House and has earned half the royalties on every copy sold since. He has pledged to donate all royalties earned in 2016 to charities supporting immigrants and victims of torture.
In the New Yorker article, Schwartz likened writing The Art of the Deal to putting “lipstick on a pig” and said he would have retitled it “The Sociopath”. He added: “I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention and made him more appealing than he is … I genuinely believe that if Trump wins and gets the nuclear codes there is an excellent possibility it will lead to the end of civilisation.”In the New Yorker article, Schwartz likened writing The Art of the Deal to putting “lipstick on a pig” and said he would have retitled it “The Sociopath”. He added: “I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention and made him more appealing than he is … I genuinely believe that if Trump wins and gets the nuclear codes there is an excellent possibility it will lead to the end of civilisation.”
In his letter, Greenblatt accuses Schwartz of making “defamatory statements” about Trump. Schwartz’s claims that he, not Trump, wrote the book were “thereby exposing” himself to “liability for damages and other tortious harm”. Greenblatt orders Schwartz to issue “a written statement retracting your defamatory statements,” and asks for written assurances that he will not make other “baseless accusations” about Trump.In his letter, Greenblatt accuses Schwartz of making “defamatory statements” about Trump. Schwartz’s claims that he, not Trump, wrote the book were “thereby exposing” himself to “liability for damages and other tortious harm”. Greenblatt orders Schwartz to issue “a written statement retracting your defamatory statements,” and asks for written assurances that he will not make other “baseless accusations” about Trump.
On the same day, Schwartz’s lawyer sent a response, also published on the New Yorker website, saying that he “will not be returning any of the advance or royalties from the book, and he has no intention of retracting any of his opinions about the character of the Republican nominee for the presidency, nor does he have any obligation or intention to remain silent about the issue going forward.” The letter describes Trump’s cease-and-desist letter as “nothing more than a transparent attempt to stifle legitimate criticism”.On the same day, Schwartz’s lawyer sent a response, also published on the New Yorker website, saying that he “will not be returning any of the advance or royalties from the book, and he has no intention of retracting any of his opinions about the character of the Republican nominee for the presidency, nor does he have any obligation or intention to remain silent about the issue going forward.” The letter describes Trump’s cease-and-desist letter as “nothing more than a transparent attempt to stifle legitimate criticism”.
Greenblatt’s letter does not refute Schwartz’s claim that he wrote the book alone, instead saying that Trump “was the source of all of the material in the book and the inspiration for every word”. In reference to Schwartz’s interview on Good Morning America, in which he said the book likely contained “falsehoods” because in his opinion, Trump was prone to exaggeration, Greenblatt wrote that if there were any factual inaccuracies, it would be a breach of Schwartz’s contract.Greenblatt’s letter does not refute Schwartz’s claim that he wrote the book alone, instead saying that Trump “was the source of all of the material in the book and the inspiration for every word”. In reference to Schwartz’s interview on Good Morning America, in which he said the book likely contained “falsehoods” because in his opinion, Trump was prone to exaggeration, Greenblatt wrote that if there were any factual inaccuracies, it would be a breach of Schwartz’s contract.
In response, Schwartz’s lawyer argues that if Trump takes credit for “all of the material in the book”, that must also include any falsehoods in it: “Any purported failure by Mr Schwartz to be ‘accurate in the completion of [his] duties’ would be entirely because of misleading statements by Mr Trump.”In response, Schwartz’s lawyer argues that if Trump takes credit for “all of the material in the book”, that must also include any falsehoods in it: “Any purported failure by Mr Schwartz to be ‘accurate in the completion of [his] duties’ would be entirely because of misleading statements by Mr Trump.”
On Thursday, Schwartz told the New Yorker he would continue to speak out against Trump. “The fact that Trump would take time out of convention week to worry about a critic is evidence to me not only of how thin-skinned he is, but also of how misplaced his priorities are,” Schwartz wrote. “It is axiomatic that when Trump feels attacked, he will strike back. That’s precisely what’s so frightening about his becoming president.”On Thursday, Schwartz told the New Yorker he would continue to speak out against Trump. “The fact that Trump would take time out of convention week to worry about a critic is evidence to me not only of how thin-skinned he is, but also of how misplaced his priorities are,” Schwartz wrote. “It is axiomatic that when Trump feels attacked, he will strike back. That’s precisely what’s so frightening about his becoming president.”