The Blubber

According to the latest annual financial disclosures of Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent earned $170,000 in book royalties in 2022 from his recently-published best-selling book, titled "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism." This amount is nearly equivalent to the annual salary of $174,000 received by senators and House members.

Adding to his earnings, Sanders previously received a $170,000 royalties payment from publisher Penguin Random House in 2020, bringing his total earnings from the book to $340,000.

When contacted for comment, Sanders' office did not immediately respond.

Sanders, a two-time runner-up for the Democratic presidential nomination and a proponent of Democratic Socialism, has faced scrutiny over his accumulated wealth during his time in office.

After his first presidential campaign in 2016, he authored two books — "Our Revolution: A Future To Believe In" and "Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution" — which contributed to over $1 million in book royalties reported in his 2017 financial disclosure.

In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Sanders acknowledged, "I wrote a best-selling book. If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

When questioned on Fox News in 2019 about making money from his book in relation to the "definition of capitalism," Sanders expressed his aspiration to create a society where everyone can achieve the same level of success he has, highlighting the advantages he possesses, such as a college degree and his position as a United States senator.

Sanders is not the only senator who has earned substantial income from book sales. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, also a progressive and former 2020 presidential candidate, surpassed Sanders in book royalties in 2022, according to her recently-filed financial disclosures.

Warren's total book royalties in 2022 amounted to $443,141 and included royalties from her previous work as a law professor, as well as recent books published with Macmillan Publishing Group, such as "Persist" and a children's book called "Pinkie Promises."

In 2020, senators collectively earned a total of $1.8 million from book advances and royalties, with Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas among the top earners.