BOSTON (AP) — Members of a U.S. Senate committee looking into the bankruptcy of Steward Health Care adopted two resolutions Thursday designed to hold CEO Ralph de la Torre in contempt — one for civil enforcement and another for criminal contempt — for not testifying before the panel.
The votes come after de la Torre refused to attend a committee hearing last week despite being issued a subpoena. Both resolutions will be sent to the full Senate for consideration. Sen.
Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent and chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said de la Torre's decision to defy the subpoena gave the committee little choice but to seek contempt charges. “For months, this committee has invited Dr. de la Torre to testify about the financial mismanagement and what occurred at Steward Health Care,” Sanders said at Thursday's hearing.
“Time after time he has arrogantly refused to appear.” In a letter sent to the committee Wednesday, Alexander Merton, an attorney for de la Torre, said the committee’s request to have him testify would violate his Fifth Amendment rights. The Constitution protects de la Torre from being compelled by the government to provide sworn testimony intended to frame him "as a criminal scapegoat for the systemic failures in Massachusetts’ health care system," Merton wrote, adding that de la Torre would agree to testify at a later date.
“Our concerns that the Hearing would be used to ambush Dr. de la Torre in.