A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former basketball player John Stockton, two doctors accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation, and an organization founded by presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawsuit aimed to halt the Washington Medical Commission's enforcement of its unprofessional conduct regulations against the physicians.
The lawsuit, initiated in March in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, sought to prevent the commission from taking action against Dr. Thomas Siler and Dr. Richard Eggleston. The commission had charged both doctors with unprofessional conduct for disseminating false information about COVID-19 vaccines and tests through newspaper opinion columns and online platforms. Their claims included assertions that vaccines are unsafe and COVID tests are inaccurate, alongside endorsements of alternative treatments deemed ineffective or dangerous by scientific consensus.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice granted Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s motion to dismiss the case.
“Adding famous names to a baseless lawsuit can’t change what it is,” Ferguson stated. “If you want to practice medicine in Washington, you just play by the rules. These doctors must face the medical commission and answer for their actions.”
This dismissal follows a similar attempt by Eggleston in 2023 to stop the commission’s investigations, which was also dismissed by Judge Rice.
The previous case did not include Stockton or Kennedy’s organization as plaintiffs but involved another doctor, Daniel Moynihan, identified as a volunteer with Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense organization.
Following public complaints and an investigation, the Washington Medical Commission charged Eggleston with unprofessional conduct in August 2022 over his articles minimizing COVID-19 deaths and promoting false information about COVID tests and vaccines, including claims that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19.
Eggleston has pursued multiple unsuccessful lawsuits against these charges at both state and federal levels. His hearing before the commission remains pending.
Similarly, Siler was charged with unprofessional conduct in October 2023 after complaints about his blog posts containing false statements regarding COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.
In March, plaintiffs filed this latest lawsuit against Washington Medical Commission Executive Director Kyle Karinen and Attorney General Ferguson to block further investigation into Siler's case.
The Attorney General’s Office has successfully defended numerous public health measures related to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Assistant Attorneys General Andrew Hughes, Sarah Smith-Levy, Jon Guss, along with paralegals Amy Hand and Christine Truong managed this case for Washington.