Publisher Alfred Regnery calls it "ironic" and agent Lucianne Goldberg has called it "high school stuff" but whatever the spin, it's clear that Regnery, who published Mark Fuhrman's bestselling Murder in Brentwood, passed on the controversial O.J. trial detective's proposal to do a book on the death of Clinton colleague Vince Foster and signed up another book on the case by author Dan Moldea instead. Goldberg has pulled Fuhrman's proposal, which has circulating to New York publishers, and told PW that they are developing a new book, possibly on another high-profile crime.

Moldea was cowriter on Evidence Dismissed, the Pocket book on the O.J. trial by detectives Tom Lange and Philip Vannatter which was highly critical of Fuhrman. Regnery told PW he had been thinking about doing a book on the Foster case for quite some time and felt Fuhrman lacked the political insider reporting needed to write it, so he rejected the proposal. Regnery didn't negotiate the deal with Moldea's agent Ron Goldfarb, however, until "about three weeks ago" and after Fuhrman had submitted his proposal.

Regnery also joked that he was particularly pleased Moldea is a liberal Democrat" since people think we never do those kind of books." Indeed, Regnery had made the at-the-time politically incorrect choice of signing up Fuhrman for Murder in Brentwood for a reportedly low six-figure advance after New York publishers wouldn't touch the project.

Regnery told PW he has now essentially passed on his option to do Fuhrman's next book, although he said there had been a "loophole" about it, namely the discrepancy between the 7-page outline he saw as the proposal and the 27-page proposal being circulated to New York publishers. He said he would like to do another book by Fuhrman, a suggestion Goldberg later scoffed at.

Regnery plans to publish Moldea's book in February.