John Stockton's COVID-centric 'free speech' case dismissed: What we know so far

John Stockton's lawsuit against Washington state's attorney general and the executive director of the Washington Medical Commission has been dismissed. Let's look at the details of the "free speech" case involving the NBA legend.

According to the Office of the Attorney General of Washington State, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice dismissed the case on Wednesday. Rice reasoned that two of the plaintiffs, who were doctors, had not been punished by the WMC for spreading misinformation about COVID-19.

Other plaintiffs like Stockton and Robert F. Kenndy Jr.'s Children’s Health Defense organization are not subject to any punishment by the WMC. Stockton is not a doctor, and the organization is not sanctioned by the WMC, just two other doctor plaintiffs – Richard Eggleston and Thomas Siler.

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Why did John Stockton and the other plaintiffs file the lawsuit?

Why did John Stockton and the other plaintiffs file the lawsuit?

The lawsuit was filed in March, but the issue between the Washington Medical Commission and doctors Thomas Siler and Richard Eggleston began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WMC charged Siler and Eggleston with unprofessional conduct because they were spreading misinformation about the virus and the vaccine.

Siler and Eggleston added John Stockton and Robert F. Kenndy Jr.'s Children’s Health Defense organization when they filed the lawsuit against Attorney General Bob Ferguson and WMC Executive Director Kyle Karinen. The two doctors questioned the severity of the disease and even advised the use of ivermectin as a cure.

Stockton made headlines during the pandemic after appearing on videos doubting COVID-19. He even claimed that hundreds of athletes have died because of the vaccine and was even banned by his alma mater Gonzaga University for not complying with their COVID mandate regarding masks.

It didn't help that John Stockton listened to his chiropractor about COVID and not vaccinating his children over epidemiologists, who are the experts on the matter. He has since advocated for people who share the same beliefs as him, as well as Thomas Siler and Richard Eggleston.

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Why was the lawsuit dismissed?

The Utah Jazz legend's lawsuit alleged that the state of Washington and the Washington Medical Commission violated the "free speech" of Thomas Siler and Richard Eggleston.

However, Judge Thomas O. Rice ruled that the claims made by the plaintiffs were pure "speculation and conjecture."

"The remaining Plaintiffs claim they are injured by the alleged chill of licensed physicians presenting an alternative narrative about COVID. But Plaintiffs have not shown that they are impeded from otherwise accessing this information," the judge said. [H/T USA Today]

It should be pointed out that Eggleston has filed previous lawsuits against the state of Washington but failed every time. His case with the WMC still has no hearing date, while Siler had a blog post about using ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19.