The U.S. Senate has approved a resolution to hold Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre in criminal contempt for failing to testify before a Senate panel. The resolution was supported by unanimous consent after de la Torre refused to attend a committee hearing and was issued a subpoena. The resolution has been passed on to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia for criminal prosecution.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, expressed the need for de la Torre to explain the deaths of patients due to lack of medical equipment or staffing shortages at Steward Health Care hospitals. The committee also questioned how de la Torre and his companies received significant compensation while patients suffered.
The ranking Republican on the committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, highlighted the harm caused by Steward and de la Torre’s actions nationwide. The committee sought de la Torre’s testimony, but his attorney cited Fifth Amendment rights. Steward Health Care filed for bankruptcy and has gone through significant changes, including selling hospitals and cutting services.
Sen. Edward Markey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren condemned de la Torre’s actions, accusing him of profiting from healthcare mismanagement that resulted in patient harm. Nurses, such as Ellen MacInnis, have testified about preventable harm to patients under Steward’s management. The ongoing investigation aims to hold de la Torre accountable for his role in the company’s financial mismanagement and its impact on patients and communities.
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