Utah’s House Speaker rallies to support Utah doctor federally charged in COVID-19 vaccine scheme

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah’s House Speaker, Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, was among those who rallied Monday on behalf of a Utah plastic surgeon who, along with three others, is facing multiple federal charges for an alleged scheme to provide fake vaccine cards, inject saline into his minor patients, and destroy thousands of dollars’ worth of Covid-19 vaccines.

Shultz spoke at the rally on behalf of Dr. Kirk Moore, which was held on the steps of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake, which took place before Dr. Moore faced jury selection in his scheduled 15-day jury trial.

Utah legislators Rep. Karianne Lisonbee (R-14) and Rep. Trevor Lee (R-16) were also at the rally.

According to the US Attorney’s office for Utah, Dr. Moore’s charges stem from 2023 when they allege that he “destroyed at least $28,028.50 worth of government-provided COVID-19 vaccines, and distributed at least 1,937 doses’ worth of fraudulently completed vaccination record cards to others in exchange for either direct cash payments or required ‘donations’ to a specified charitable organization, without administering a COVID-19 vaccine to the card recipient.”

Speaker Schultz expressed gratitude and support for protestors who pushed back against any potential vaccine requirements during the height of COVID-19 pandemic.

“The way those of us that stood up and pushed back were treated was wrong,” Speaker Schultz said at the rally. “We were treated like second class citizens if we didn’t get the shot, if we didn’t get the vaccine, go to a jazz game or eat in a restaurant.”

He also railed against “vaccine passports,” claiming that vaccination records were required to “walk down the street or go into a shop.”

Under Utah state law, employers cannot mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their employees. Speaker Schultz and Sen. Kirk Cullimore were behind that legislation.

The rally was organized by Jason Preston, who hosts a conservative, yet often conspiratorial podcast called We Are The People, focused on what they say are efforts by the Chinese Communist Party, The World Economic Forum, and the United Nations to shape Utah’s future.

Preston is also a former 2022 Congressional candidate who failed in his bid to replace then-Congressman John Curtis, who was up for re-election in Utah’s 3rd District. Preston was backed by so-called Trump fixer Roger Stone, who spoke on Preston’s behalf at the Republican State Convention in April of 2022.

Stone was commuted by Trump after being convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation, lying to Congress, and witness tampering in a trial stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

In a press release about the rally, supporters called Dr. Moore “heroic” and urged Utahns to protest the charges against him, which they called an effort to “silence dissent against Covid-19 policies.”

“Dr. Kirk Moore, a board-certified plastic surgeon and Navy veteran, is charged with fraud, conspiracy, counterfeiting, and destruction of government property for allegedly providing saline shots instead of COVID-19 vaccines to patients seeking to avoid harmful mandates. From 2020 to 2022, he treated 800-1,000 patients for free with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, helping families preserve their jobs, education, and medical autonomy.”

The release also points out that Moore has the support of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wrote on X in April, “Dr. Moore deserves a medal for his courage and his commitment to healing!”

ABC4.com reached out to Speaker Schultz for comment, and a spokesperson said he was not available.