NBA legend John Stockton, teamed up with medical specialists and doctors as they filed charges against the Washington State Office of Attorney General and the state’s medical commission for silencing dissent on their Covid-19 policies and vaccines.
Stockton has been vocal in his criticisms of COVID-19 restrictions. In January 2022, he got his Gonzaga University men’s basketball season tickets suspended after failing to comply with the university’s mask mandate.
The NBA Hall of Famer point guard discussed on Fox & Friends First why he filed a lawsuit against Washington officials.
“I think it’s pretty simple. It’s freedom. Even though we talk about medical freedom and things, it’s freedom and freedom to speak. It’s our First Amendment,” Stockton explained.
Rick Jaffe, Stockton’s lawyer further said, “The only thing we’re interested in is the First Amendment issue.”
“Does the medical board have the constitutional authority to investigate, prosecute, and sanction doctors for writing articles, posting blogs on websites, and speaking out in public, even if the government or the medical board thinks what they’re saying is wrong or dangerous?” Jaffe said.
Atty. Jaffe added the state also threatened to sanction medical practitioners whom they accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
Among the plaintiffs is Dr. Richard Eggleston, a retired ophthalmologist, who faced sanctions after publishing his views on the pandemic in the Lewiston Tribune.
Stockton and Eagleston were also joined by Dr. Thomas T. Siler, Dr. Thomas Moynihan, and Children’s Health Defense.
The Utah Jazz point guard said, “So if the doctors can’t speak… these brilliant people that we have in our culture, can’t speak when they know truths, their truths, and now we’re deprived of that opportunity to hear… the… wisdom they have to share, I think that’s a big deal.”
The Washington Medical Commission, which was included in the legal action, pledged to crack down on individuals or institutions who are spreading misinformation in 2021.
The commission also published a statement to battle information which they claim to be “misinformation.” They also pledged to punish “medical professionals” who provided or offered treatments other than what is set by international regulations.
Their website states: “It is our ethical duty to listen to our patients’ concerns, course-correct when people fall prey to falsehoods, and help them make informed medical decisions that are guided by research and medical science.”
“Now more than ever we must align with the oath we took to ‘do no harm,’ and part of that means trusting science, listening, educating, and caring for our patients according to the guidelines set by the FDA, the CDC, and experts at the state health department as we work to care for and protect the people we treat.”
The Utah Jazz legend shared that medical professionals expressed support in this fight.
They’re grateful that somebody is stepping up and has a voice. Clearly, anybody can do it, but apparently, I have a little bit more voice than the average citizen, and they’re just grateful somebody’s stepping up and say[ing], ‘hey, there’s something wrong here.'”
