The publisher of U.S. Sen. Tim Scott's forthcoming political memoir acknowledged over the weekend that it made a mistake when it claimed the South Carolina Republican is preparing a presidential bid this year.
Thomas Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing characterized the book blunder as "our error" in a written statement shared with The Post and Courier.Â
The statement further clarifies that Scott, who is often mentioned as a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, did not sign off on the two-sentence proclamation of a future White House bid that appears in small font on the copyright page of his new book, "America, a Redemption Story."
"The description on the copyright page was our error and is not accurate. It was not done at the direction or approval of the Senator or his team. We are working to correct this immediately,"Â a spokesperson for Thomas Nelson said.Â
How the publisher plans to correct the error is still unclear.
Scott's book is set to be released nationwide Aug. 9, and the pre-sale period for the book is already well underway.
Additionally, a book launch event is scheduled to take place Aug. 6 at Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant, with signed copies of the book included with the cost of admission.
A spokesperson for Thomas Nelson said she was unable to share any additional information at this time when asked if the error could result in reprints of the book.
The publisher's attempt to quickly set the record straight comes after reporting by The Post and Courier revealed the eyebrow-raising lines in the senator's memoir.
Printed in small font on the copyright page alongside information about how the work should be catalogued in the Library of Congress, it reads:Â "Senator Scott is a rising star who sees and understands the importance of bipartisanship to move America forward. This book is a political memoir that includes his core messages as he prepares to make a presidential bid in 2022."
In a July 29 interview, Scott responded to the revelation by saying, "I have not," followed by, "That’s fascinating that that’s the copy on the book." South Carolina's junior senator said the book is an opportunity to share his story with the American people, but cautioned that it is "absolutely not" the start of an Oval Office bid.
Scott said his political focus is on winning reelection in November. To date, Scott has raised more than $46 million for his reelection against longshot challenger Democratic state Rep. Krystle Matthews of Ladson, making him the top fundraiser among all congressional Republicans.
Asked again if the book is the start of a future White House bid, Scott replied: "Not for me it’s not."
The memoir will be Scott's third book.
His previous books include "Opportunity Knocks: How Hard Work, Community, and Business Can Improve Lives and End Poverty," which published in 2020, and "Unified: How Our Unlikely Friendship Gives Us Hope for a Divided Country" which he wrote alongside former South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy in 2018.
A review of the most recent congressional financial disclosure report shows Harper Collins Christian Publisher paid Scott $184,167 for his latest book, "America, a Redemption Story."
