Republican senator ridiculed for furious rant after his publisher dropped his book deal

When you incite a riot at the Capitol building, be prepared to face the consequences.

Publisher Simon & Schuster has announced the cancellation of the forthcoming book, The Tyranny of Big Tech by Josh Hawley, the Missouri senator who has been at the forefront of the electoral college challenge to the presidential election.

The decision comes after the deadly riots at the Capitol building earlier this week. "After witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, DC, Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel publication of Senator Josh Hawley’s forthcoming book,” the publisher said.

In response, Hawley called the move “Orwellian” and said that he will be challenging the decision in court.

“Let me be clear, this is not a contract dispute,” he said. “It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment.” Considering Hawley a constitutional lawyer, you would think that he knows cancelling a book deal isn’t a violation of free speech.

Hawley’s book, which takes aim at big tech companies like Facebook and Google, was originally set to publish in June.

The Missouri senator is one of the most vocal supporters of Trump and his failed attempts at overturning the election.

On the day of the Capitol riot, Hawley walked past the protestors and raised his fist in solidarity, as captured in a now infamous photo.

As for Hawley’s book deal, many people corrected him on the fact that Simon & Schusters’s decision was, in fact, not something plucked from the works of George Orwell.

If memory serves right, 1984 played out very differently.

Speaking of consequences, other Republicans have also denounced Hawley since the riot. In a statement to Associated Press, former Missouri senator John Danforth called supporting him the “worst decision I’ve ever made in my life”.

MORE: What is the 25th Amendment and how does it play an important role in the removal of Trump?