Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw signed a six-figure book deal with Hachette Book Group before becoming a member of Congress, according to a financial report filed this week.
The onetime Navy SEAL, 35, claimed a $250,000 book deal with Hachette as earned income in 2018, according to a Financial Disclosure Report amendment filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives on Monday.
Then-congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw reacts to the crowd with his wife, Tara. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)
Crenshaw's office confirmed to Fox News that he signed a book deal before joining the Legislature, and that the yet-to-be-titled book will explore mental toughness and America's outrage culture. It is slated for publication next April.
While acting members of the House of Representatives "may not receive an advance payment on copyright royalties," according to House ethics rules, Crenshaw would have been permitted to take a book advance before becoming a member of Congress.
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Crenshaw graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts in 2006. He then went through SEAL training in Coronado, Calif., after having been commissioned as an officer during Navy ROTC in college.
His first deployment was to Fallujah, Iraq, with SEAL Team 3. Crenshaw would deploy overseas five times throughout his career.
In 2012, he was injured and blinded in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off. Crenshaw lost his right eye, and now has a glass eye and wears an eye patch.
After his injury, Crenshaw deployed twice before medically retiring from the military as a lieutenant commander in 2016, having served 10 years with the SEAL teams. He was awarded a Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars and the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor.
After attending the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and earning a master’s degree in public administration, Crenshaw decided to run for public office and was elected to serve in Congress from Texas' 2nd District in November 2018. He took office in January of this year.
Crenshaw and his now-famous eye patch were at the core of a "Saturday Night Live" bit in November 2018.
Comedian Pete Davidson took a jab at then-candidate Crenshaw during the show's "Weekend Update" segment, saying at the time, "You may be surprised to hear he's a congressional candidate from Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie. I'm sorry, I know he lost his eye in war, or whatever. Whatever."
Pete Davidson on "Saturday Night Live." (NBC) (NBC)
The clip went viral and Davidson was heavily criticized for the joke. Crenshaw later appeared on the show.
Davidson apologized to Crenshaw, and the former frogman was also able to take a few jabs at the comedian during their segment.
"I made a joke about Lt. Cmdr. Dan Crenshaw, and on behalf of the show and myself, I apologize," Davidson said. "I mean this from the bottom of my heart. It was a poor choice of words. The man is a war hero and he deserves all the respect in the world."
Their segment has nearly 10 million views on YouTube.
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"But seriously, there's a lot of lessons to learn here," Crenshaw said on "SNL." "Americans can forgive one another. We can remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other."
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