A book publisher that's billed itself as a haven for conservative writers has concluded a lawsuit over one of its prominent financial backer's ties to George Soros.
Lee Smith, a former senior editor at The Weekly Standard, filed a suit against All Season Press (ASP) last year. Smith claimed ASP duped him into selling the rights to his latest book, “The Thirty Tyrants,” without disclosing that the firm was allegedly owned by a partner of Soros.
American Wire explains:
But then something strange occurred. ASP complained about the contents of the book and tried to strong-arm Smith into renegotiating his contract. But why? Smith now believes he knows exactly why.
According to a lawsuit he filed in October of 2022, it turns out that ASP is secretly owned by Scott Bessent, a close associate of none other than radically far-left billionaire George Soros.
ASP rose to prominence a couple of years ago. Around the same time The New York Times published an article about its role as a publisher for MAGA authors exiled from New York's big publishing houses.
American Wire continues:
Smith's book, which argues that “Americans at the top of the financial, entertainment, and political industries had sold their country out to communist China,” mentions Soros by name because of his own overtures to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In a statement, ASP called Smith's allegations frivolous, accusing his now-settled lawsuit of borrowing “tactics from the Clinton playbook.” The publisher also accused Smith of missing a manuscript deadline.
Lawyers representing the publishing company did hint at Bessent's affiliations in a motion to dismiss the case but argued they were immaterial:
“The fact that Mr. Smith was surprised to eventually come to learn the politics of a prominent person who financially supports ASP is irrelevant. ASP had no obligation to out its benefactor's identity, his personal political and economic beliefs or his connection to ASP,” they wrote.
The case concluded with Smith returning the upfront payment to ASP in exchange for the rights to his book.
READ NEXT: Potential Spoiler Candidate Announces Presidential Campaign
