Simon & Schuster Pulls Discredited Benghazi Book

Simon & Schuster has pulled The Embassy House after author “Morgan Jones” (real name Dylan Davies) was exposed as giving contradictory statements about his whereabouts on the night of the 2012 Benghazi attacks. Earlier today, 60 Minutes reporter Lara Logan apologized for airing Davies' account in an October 27 report.  

Threshold Editions, a conservative imprint of Simon & Schuster, said in a statement from spokesperson Jennifer Robinson: “In light of information that has been brought to our attention since the initial publication of THE EMBASSY HOUSE, we have withdrawn from publication and sale all formats of this book, and are recommending that booksellers do the same. We also are notifying accounts that they may return the book to us.” 

Threshold Editions released The Embassy House on October 29, two days after 60 Minutes ran a segment featuring Davies and his claims about his activities on September 11, 2012. The 60 Minutes report rehashed old myths about Benghazi, including the debunked claim that there's a “lingering question” about why no U.S. military forces from outside the Libya were able to help the diplomatic facilities. 

60 Minutes' report on Davies and Benghazi failed to disclose that Simon & Schuster is owned by CBS. Lara Logan later conceded to The New York Times that the program should have disclosed the financial connection.

Since the report's airing, reporters and media critics -- including Media Matters -- have raised serious questions about inconsistencies with Davies' story. Further, Media Matters chairman David Brock called on Simon & Schuster to investigate the vetting of Davies' story, halt production of his book, and reprint it as a work of fiction.

Nearly two weeks after the report aired, CBS pulled the report, apologized to viewers, and announced it would “correct the record on our broadcast on Sunday night.”