Simone Gold, January 6 Insurrectionist, is in Trouble With California Medical Board

Photo byLala MiklósonUnsplash

Simone Gold, MD, JD, who runs America's Frontline Doctors, a right-wing, vaccine-denying group, pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one of five criminal counts against her in connection with her participation in the January 6 violent attack and insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building. She pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering a restricted building and grounds.

And that has led to her being in trouble with the Medical Board of California (MCB), which sets the standards for physicians in the state. And they are not happy about this one.

So, we are going to look at Simone Gold's legal problems with both the Federal Government and the MCB. It's juicy.

The legal issues of Simone Gold

In June 2022, Gold was sentenced to 60 days in prison followed by 12 months of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper. She was also ordered to pay approximately $10,025 in criminal monetary penalties, according to a Medical Board of California document.

Judge Cooper said that he did not believe Gold was remorseful, as she testified she was. He said he found it "unseemly" that she and her website, America's Frontline Doctors, raised some $433,000 from supporters by claiming the court's charges against her were politically motivated.

He told Gold during the sentencing:

Sitting here today, I don't think you have truly accepted responsibility. Your organization has used your notoriety to raise money to garner support for you in connection with the sentencing and for its general operations by mischaracterizing what this proceeding is all about ... telling your supporters that this is a political prosecution of a law-abiding physician that's designed to threaten and intimidate any American who dares to exercise their First Amendment rights.

But Simone Gold has other issues. In November 2022, a "rogue member" of the board of America's Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) filed a lawsuit accusing Gold of misusing the organization's funds to buy a $3.6 million home in Naples and three cars, including a Mercedes Benz, for personal use.

However, Gold remains the President of AFLDS, and the organization has counter-sued this "rogue board member," and the organization seems to support Gold.

It's a mess.

Photo by Edgar Colomba on Pexels.com

The Medical Board of California's turn

The Medical Board of California (MBC) has filed an "unprofessional conduct" accusation against Simone Gold in connection with her guilty plea on charges related to her participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol and her subsequent prison term.

The MBC's accusation lists two causes for discipline:

1. "conviction of a crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a physician and surgeon,"
2. "general unprofessional conduct."

According to the MBC code, unprofessional conduct is defined as that which "breaches the rules or ethical code of the medical profession or conduct which is unbecoming a member in good standing of the medical profession, and which demonstrates an unfitness to practice medicine." I think her activity in the January 6 insurrection and riot by the right wing trying to overturn an election qualifies as "unbecoming."

The MBC may issue a decision either revoking or suspending her license. It may also want Gold to repay the costs of investigating and enforcing this case, as well as any potential costs incurred if she is placed on probation.

Of course, Gold has promoted both ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 despite the utter lack of evidence supporting their use in treating COVID-19. She could be in trouble with the MBC just for that.

Any action for that would be covered by California's new disinformation law, which prohibits licensees from providing false information about COVID vaccines or treatments in the context of direct patient care when that information is delivered maliciously and is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus.