SAN FRANCISCO -- A former Congressional hopeful is suing a newspaper for publishing an article that allegedly caused him to suffer defamation of character.
Shahid Buttar for Congress Committee filed a federal complaint on July 20 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Hearst Communications and Does 1-5 for defamation.
According to the complaint, Buttar was running against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when on July 21, 2020, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article containing a false allegation that Buttar had committed sexual harassment. Buttar alleges that because of the article, he lost a significant amount of voters.
Buttar seeks general and special damages, pre-judgement interest, an injunction requiring Hearst Communications from engaging in unfair competition and a public apology, cost of suit and attorneys fees. Buttar is represented by Gautam Dutta.
U.S District Court Northern District of California case number 3:21-cv-05566-JCS