Senate committee to vote to hold Steward Health Care CEO in contempt

BOSTON (AP) — Members of a Senate committee looking into the Steward Health Care bankruptcy said they plan to adopt two resolutions next week to hold Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre in contempt — one for civil enforcement and another for certification to the United States Attorney for criminal contempt — after he refused to attend a U.S. Senate hearing Thursday despite being issued a subpoena.

If approved, both resolutions will go to the full Senate for a vote.

The first resolution instructs the Senate legal counsel to bring a civil suit requiring de la Torre to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The criminal contempt resolution would refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to criminally prosecute de la Torre for failing to comply with the subpoena.

“We were hopeful that Dr. de la Torre would comply with our bipartisan subpoena and appear before the committee to testify to the harm Steward has caused to patients, health care workers, and the communities in which they live,” said Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the committee’s chair.

“Unfortunately, we have no choice but to move forward and pursue both civil enforcement of the subpoena and criminal charges against Dr. de la Torre,” he added.

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