Steward Healthcare CEO Ralph de la Torre filed a lawsuit Monday against a U.S. Senate committee that Pursuing criminal contempt against him for failing to appear before the jury despite being issued a subpoena.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, names nearly all members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, the committee’s chairman. Investigate Steward’s bankruptcy.
The lawsuit contends lawmakers are illegally violating de la Torre’s constitutional rights.
It alleges that members of the commission, by attempting to force de la Torre to answer questions about Steward’s bankruptcy, are “putting together a concerted effort to punish Dr. de la Torre for invoking his Fifth Amendment right to be free from ‘coercion.” . . to testify against himself.’”
De la Torre is asking the court to declare all actions related to the enforcement of the subpoena invalid and unconstitutional — including the commission’s Sept. 19 vote to ratify it. criminal contempt resolution and resolved to present the resolution to the full Senate for a vote.
The Senate passed the resolution last week.
“No one can be compelled to testify when they exercise this right in these circumstances. The Constitution also does not authorize Congress to punish and threaten him, or any other American, for exercising these rights,” William “Bill” Burck, de la Torre’s attorney, said in a statement. declare.
Anna Bahr, Sanders’ communications director, dismissed the lawsuit.
“Democrats and Republicans on the HELP Committee together voted to impeach Dr. de la Torre, as did the entire United States Senate,” she said in a statement. “This case has no merit.”
The lawsuit took place the day before de la Torre was scheduled to be charged resigned as CEO of Steward.
De la Torre oversaw Steward’s network of about 30 hospitals across the country. The company is headquartered in Texas Recent history of trouble has drawn scrutiny from elected officials in New England, where some of its hospitals are located.
A spokesman for de la Torre said Saturday that he “amicably separated from Steward on mutually agreeable terms” and “will continue to be a tireless advocate for improvement reimbursement rates for disadvantaged patient groups.”
Sanders said earlier this month that Congress “will hold Dr. de la Torre responsible for his greed and the damage he has caused to hospitals and patients across America.”
Steward closed pediatric units in Massachusetts and Louisiana, closed neonatal units in Florida and Texas, and eliminated maternity services at a hospital in Florida.
Democratic Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts said that over the past decade, Steward, led by de la Torre and its corporate enablers, had “looted hospitals across the country for profit.” profit and become rich thanks to their greedy plans.
Alexander Merton, de la Torre’s attorney, said the fault lies with “systemic failures in Massachusetts’ health care system” and that the commission is trying to paint de la Torre as a criminal scapegoat . Merton also said that de la Torre would agree to testify at a later date.
On Friday, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced her administration had officially seized a hospital through eminent domain to help keep it open and transition to new owners. St. John’s Medical Center Elizabeth in Boston is one of the groups run by Steward. Operations will be moved to Boston Medical Center.
Two other hospitals operated by Steward in Massachusetts were forced to close after failing to find qualified buyers during bankruptcy proceedings.
