Justice Thomas Signs Book Deal

Seven figure deal for the controversial Supreme Court Justice’s memoirs from HarperCollins:

Multiple publishers vied for the rights to Thomas’ autobiography, which he started writing in 2001, but Thomas liked the package offered by the New York-based HarperCollins, including the editor assigned to work with him, people in the publishing industry with knowledge of the deal said Thursday.

Patty Kelly, a spokeswoman for HarperCollins, confirmed that the company will publish Thomas’ memoirs, but she declined to say how much he would be paid. The book “will trace his life from his upbringing in Savannah, Ga., through his confirmation to the court,” she said.

The book, expected to be released in 2005, will include his account of the bitter 1991 confirmation fight. Thomas, 54, has already completed part of the writings about his childhood in segregated Georgia.

….Thomas earns about $184,000 a year on the court. Justices face limits on what they make for work away from the court, but there are no restrictions on book earnings. Thomas was worth between $150,000 and $410,000 in 2001, not counting his home in Virginia, making him the least wealthy of the nine justices. [AP]

Formerly least wealthy. Thomas recently played an interesting role in a cross-burning case.