6 senators earned more from book sales than their day jobs in the past year.

6 senators earned more from book sales than their day jobs in the past year.

Senators Making Big Bucks from Book Sales

Picture this: you’re a United States senator, and you’re looking to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra income.

You already have a $174,000 yearly salary, courtesy of taxpayers. But while that sum isn’t exactly nothing, it hasn’t been raised in 14 years. And given the unique challenges of maintaining residences in both Washington, DC and your home state, you might be feeling a pinch.

You could try trading stocks while in office, but the American public overwhelmingly thinks you shouldn’t be able to do that, and the ongoing effort to ban the practice outright could eventually close off that route. Plus, you already have to have access to a significant amount of wealth to make those investments in the first place.

But if you’re famous enough, there’s one above-board way that several of your colleagues are already taking advantage of: writing best-selling books.

In fact, a handful of senators made far more from book sales than their congressional salaries in 2022, according to recently-filed financial disclosures.

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A New Avenue of Income

As Insider has previously reported, book sales can be a particularly lucrative avenue for lawmakers looking to burnish their brand or tell their stories.

These six senators have managed to capitalize on their fame and writing skills, earning substantial amounts from their book sales:

• Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock— $655,000
• Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas— $500,000
• Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois— $462,500
• Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas — $373,537
• Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina — $370,033
• Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — $443,141

Other senators reported significant windfalls from book sales in 2022 as well.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont nearly doubled his income by writing a book railing against capitalism. Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio is still making money off of his 2016 bestseller “Hillbilly Elegy,” bringing in more than $121,000 in 2022. Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono disclosed making $90,000 from her memoir “Heart of Fire,” while Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota made $55,000 off of “The Joy of Politics.”

Behind the Scenes

Some of the disclosures offer a window into the arrangements lawmakers make with publishers as well.

For example, Cruz, whose publisher digitally altered the cover of his forthcoming book “Unwoke” to remove his mullet, agreed last year to a deal where the Texas senator is paid $1.1 million for two books.

And Warnock, despite facing a competitive re-election campaign in Georgia, took part in something of a book tour for his book, “A Way Out of No Way,” in June and July of last year, some of which was reimbursed by his publisher.

Warren, a 2020 presidential candidate, has written a variety of best-selling books since becoming a politician. But her disclosures also show that she continues to benefit from her past life as law professor, receiving $23,000 in royalty payments in 2022 for textbooks she helped write long ago, including “Chapter 11: Reorganizing American Businesses” and “Secured Credit: A Systems Approach.”

The Lucrative Side of Politics

It’s no secret that book sales can be a lucrative endeavor for politicians hoping to expand their influence and boost their income. These senators have managed to tap into this market, earning substantial sums that surpass their annual salaries.

While some may argue that this raises questions about potential conflicts of interest or the use of political influence to drive book sales, others see it as a natural extension of a politician’s platform and the power of their ideas.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding book sales by senators, one thing is clear: for those with the literary talent and the fame to back it up, writing best-selling books is a potentially rewarding avenue for increasing their income and sharing their perspectives with the world.

• Congress
• Elizabeth Warren
• Ted Cruz