U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has dropped the federal case against Utah doctor Michael Kirk Moore Jr., who was accused of issuing fake COVID-19 vaccine certificates and discarding over $28,000 worth of government-provided vaccines. Moore, a Salt Lake County plastic surgeon, faced charges after a 2023 federal indictment, but his trial was halted earlier this month.
Bondi announced the decision Saturday on X, stating Moore "did not deserve the years in prison he was facing" and had "given his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so." The move has sparked heated debate, especially among vaccine skeptics and political allies of former President Donald Trump.
Moore allegedly operated the scheme from his clinic, giving saline shots to minors at their parents’ request so they would believe they were vaccinated, according to a 2023 statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah.
The decision to drop the case was praised by conservative figures. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally, called Moore a “hero” and said, “We can never again allow our government to turn tyrannical.” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his vaccine skepticism, praised Moore’s actions on X, claiming he deserved “a medal for his courage.”
The case’s dismissal comes amid growing scrutiny of Bondi's recent removal of Justice Department officials who were investigating Trump, raising concerns over potential political retaliation within the department.
This high-profile case underscores the continued politicization of COVID-19 vaccine policies in the U.S., where public health, personal freedom, and federal authority remain deeply contested issues.