Case: Sloan v. Hearst Media Company
1:16-cv-00052 | U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
Filed Date: Feb. 9, 2016
Closed Date: Oct. 28, 2016
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Case Summary
This case is about a Democratic Presidential candidate who alleged that various television stations refused to run paid advertisements endorsing his candidacy for President or allow him to participate in the Presidential debates.
On February 9, 2016, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire against a well-known media company, a specific television station, and the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. The plaintiff claimed that even though he submitted requests and offered to pay to have his sixteen presidential candidacy advertisements aired, the defendants would not run his advertisements on the air for people to see. Additionally, the plaintiff claimed that he was not allowed to participate in Democratic televised debates. The plaintiff alleged that this caused injury to his presidential campaign. The plaintiff failed to identify any statutory or constitutional grounds on which he brought his claims. Representing himself pro se, the plaintiff sought a temporary restraining order so that his paid advertisements could be aired and to include him in televised debates. The case was assigned to Judge Paul J. Barbadoro.
On the same day, the court issued an order that stated that the plaintiff failed to identify statutes or constitutional provisions on which his claims were based and the court denied the plaintiff’s request for a temporary restraining order.
On May 31, 2016, the court dismissed the plaintiff’s action in its entirety.
On June 30, 2016, the plaintiff appealed the motion to dismiss to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. On October 28, 2016, the circuit court issued a judgment affirming the dismissal of the complaint by the district court.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Leilani Argersinger (4/23/2024)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5641804/parties/sloan-v-hearst-media-company/
Barbadoro, Paul J. (New Hampshire)
Sloan, Sam (New Hampshire)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5641804/sloan-v-hearst-media-company/
Last updated April 12, 2026, 4:51 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 9, 2016
Closing Date: Oct. 28, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiff is a candidate running for U.S. President as a Democrat and is registered with the Federal Election Commission.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: Yes
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Private Entity/Person
Brooks Pierce
Deborah Wasserman Schultz
Hearst Media Company
Stephen Hartzell
WMUR TV Station
Case Details
Other Dockets:
District of New Hampshire 1:16-cv-00052
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
Voting:
Case Summary of Sloan v. Hearst Media Company, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, http://www.dev.clearinghouse.net/case/45052/ (last updated 4/23/2024).