Scott Jensen claims 'political machine' behind medical board investigation
(FOX 9) - Former gubernatorial candidate and family practice doctor Scott Jensen says his medical license is under fire because of a "political machine."
He says the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice is investigating him for alleged COVID-19 disinformation, and he’s taking everything public because he suspects other forces are behind it.
Dr. Jensen went back to his day job after he lost the governor’s race in November with just under 45% of the vote.
"Now that that’s over, I think this may be a time where people think that it’s appropriate to exercise authority and potentially punish," Dr. Jensen told FOX 9.
Jensen says a fifth Minnesota Board of Medical Practice investigation into him went dormant during the campaign, but he recently got a letter from the state attorney general’s office that it’s active again.
A Notice of Conference said the medical board got 18 complaints related to his public comments about COVID-19 and patient care.
It discussed him spreading disinformation about vaccines and masks, and accused him of promoting conspiracy theories including that the Minnesota Department of Health told healthcare providers to falsify death certificates by listing COVID-19 as cause of death.
Jensen says that claim in 2020 led to the first medical board investigation of his nearly 40-year career.
But he says the medical board is just a tool for a political machine attacking him.
"They know full well they’re being weaponized," he said. "They know that on the basis of these complaints, these are not people who ever received any health care services from me."
Dr. Jensen zeroed in on the involvement of the attorney general’s office, which he says didn’t happen in the first four investigations.
The medical board’s executive director told us it’s not unusual.
"The Minnesota Attorney General’s office is statutorily assigned to provide legal and investigative services to the Board of Medical Practice and all other health professionals regulatory boards," said Ruth M. Martinez, executive director of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.
And a deputy chief of staff at the AG’s office agreed.
"It is standard practice for the AG’s office to be involved in all conferences at this stage of the process with the Board of Medical Practice and all the licensing boards," said John Stiles, deputy chief of staff at the office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The medical board’s Complaint Review Committee scheduled its conference with Dr. Jensen on Feb. 24, but he’s asked for a delay of a month or two so he has time to prepare a response.
At this point, he says he hasn’t even decided if he needs an attorney.