- Ronan Farrow's new book, which outlines efforts to stop his reporting on Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assaults, is not on sale on Amazon Australia after apparent legal threats.
- Farrow said that the book, "Catch and Kill," had been "banned" on some Australian book selling platforms after threats from Dylan Howard, the former editor of the National Enquirer.
- The book alleges that Howard directed the shredding of sensitive documents about Trump before his 2016 victory and that he helped to investigate some of Weinstein's accusers.
- The Daily Beast reported that Howard hired lawyers in multiple countries to try to stop the publication and selling of the book. Farrow told Business Insider it was a "truly stunning move," while an attorney representing Howard said he would not be commenting.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Ronan Farrow's new book on the #MeToo movement is not for sale on Amazon Australia isn't selling after apparent legal threats from National Enquirer's former editor.
Farrow, whose work uncovering Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assaults prompted a global movement, launched his new book, "Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators" on Tuesday. But he tweeted later in the day that the book, which outlines alleged attempts to cover up that reporting, had been "banned" on several online bookselling platforms in Australia.
"Some Australian outlets - Booktopia, Amazon Aus - caved and banned it due to frivolous legal threats," he tweeted.
The book is currently on sale on Amazon US, sold by Amazon.com. But on the Australian version of the website, it is only available through a third-party seller in the Amazon marketplace. Business Insider was only able to find one copy on the marketplace Wednesday, and no picture of the book cover was shown. No copies were avaliable on Thursday.
Farrow's tweet came after reports that Dylan Howard, the former Editor in Chief of the National Enquirer, had hired lawyers in multiple countries, including Australia, to try and stop the publication of the book and to stop booksellers from selling it, alleging that the book contained "false and defamatory allegations."
Howard confirmed to the Daily Beast that he was seeking legal assistance, but no other details were confirmed.
An attorney representing Howard told Business Insider: "We have advised Mr Howard to make no further comment regarding the book at this stage, while all his legal remedies in appropriate jurisdictions are being considered."
Farrow's tweet did not name Howard, but referenced a statement from a free-speech group about Howard's alleged legal action.
In an interview with Business Insider on Tuesday, Farrow said that "in a truly stunning move, Dylan Howard has hired lawyers at great expense in every region of the world to threaten booksellers if they sell this book."
Howard is now an executive with American Media Inc (AMI), the publisher of the National Enquirer.
Among the allegations in Farrow's book are that AMI and the National Enquirer shredded sensitive documents related to President Donald Trump, just before Trump's election in 2016, under the direction of Howard when he was still the editor.
Farrow also alleges that Howard regularly met with Weinstein and that he helped investigate some of Weinstein's accusers, including actress Rose McGowan, with the aim of sharing negative information about them.
In his Tuesday tweet, Farrow did not state if he had been in contact with Amazon Australia or if he had confirmed with the company that it had been selling the book. He interacted with Twitter users in Australia who said they did not receive the book after pre-ordering it from Amazon Australia, and that it had disappeared from Amazon's Kindle store.
Amazon declined Business Insider's request for comment.
Farrow called the apparent legal threats "frivolous," and pointed to a statement from freedom of speech group PEN America, which called reports that Howard was trying to "curb the publication and sale" of the book "absurd but a reprehensible attempt at censorship."
The statement noted that Howard was "threatening a libel suit for a book that has not yet been released - and which Howard appears not to have read."
"I'm sorry to all the Australian readers to whom this story is important too. I hope you can import or buy from an independent bookseller, and avoid outlets that yield to these kinds of intimidation tactics," Farrow wrote.
The UK's Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday that the book was withdrawn from sale from Booktopia, and that those who had ordered were told that it had been "withdrawn from sale."
Farrow told Business Insider that "the book in a lot of ways is a testament to the importance of institutions that stand by their reporters in the face of those kinds of campaigns."
"And Little Brown and Hachette, the wonderful publisher of 'Catch and Kill,' has been incredible in standing by this book in the face of a number of concerted campaigns from a number of powerful interests that includes the National Enquirer and Dylan Howard," Farrow continued.
Australia has strict defamation laws. Anyone being sued for defamation there must prove that they did not damage the claimant's reputation, in comparison to in the US where that burden falls on the party suing.
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Some Australian outlets-Booktopia, Amazon Aus-caved and banned it due to frivolous legal threats free speech group @PENamerica called a "reprehensible attempt at censorship" from AMI's Dylan Howard. Thanks to all complaining and defending the free press. https://t.co/aiNDTOx3V5 https://t.co/DQlPteCzYp
- Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) October 15, 2019I'm sorry to all the Australian readers to whom this story is important too. I hope you can import or buy from an independent bookseller, and avoid outlets that yield to these kinds of intimidation tactics.
- Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) October 15, 2019