BOSTON (AP) — Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre filed a lawsuit Monday against a U.S. Senate committee that pursued contempt charges against him for failing to appear before the panel despite being issued a subpoena.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, named nearly all members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, who chairs the committee which has investigated Steward’s bankruptcy. The lawsuit claims that the lawmakers are unlawfully violating de la Torre's constitutional rights.
It alleges that the members of the committee, by trying to compel de la Torre to answer questions about Steward's bankruptcy, are “collectively undertaking a concerted effort to punish Dr. de la Torre for invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to ‘be compelled . .
. to be a witness against himself.’” De la Torre is asking the court to declare that all actions related to enforcement of the subpoena are invalid and unconstitutional — including the vote of the committee on Sept.
19 approving the criminal contempt resolution and its decision to present the resolution to the full Senate for a vote. The Senate approved the resolution last week. “No one can be compelled to testify when they exercise this right under these circumstances.
Nor does the Constitution permit Congress to punish and intimidate him, or any other American, for exercising these rights,” William “Bill” Burck, a lawyer for de la Torre, said in.
