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BOSTON (State House News Service) — Federal lawmakers are threatening to hold Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre in contempt of Congress over his refusal to appear at a Senate committee hearing, as the health care crisis caused by the company's bankruptcy continues to unravel.
Sen. Ed Markey, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health, and Retirement Security with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, subpoenaed de la Torre to testify before the committee at the Capitol building on Sept. 12 about the system's bankruptcy.
The committee voted on a bipartisan basis to hold the hearing, Markey said at a press conference in Boston on Thursday, where he said they would take another vote next week to hold the Steward CEO in contempt of Congress if he fails to attend despite the subpoena.
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"When I voted on July 25 to issue the first subpoena from the Senate Health Committee since 1981, it was not a request for Ralph de la Torre to answer for what he's done, it was a demand that he answer for what he has done. It was a demand that 15 of my bipartisan colleagues joined," Markey said.
A letter to Sanders from de la Torre's lawyers on Wednesday said it would have been inappropriate for de la Torre to attend.
"Dr. de la Torre declined the Committee’s invitation to participate at this hearing because it would be inappropriate for him to testify on matters related to Steward’s bankruptcy while those proceedings remain live and ongoing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court," the letter said. "Rather than afford the time necessary to administer Steward’s reorganization case, however, on July 24, 2024, the Committee issued the Subpoena now seeking to compel Dr. de la Torre’s testimony."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was also at Thursday's briefing, said that de la Torre could be arrested by federal marshals for refusing to comply with a federal subpoena to testify.
"A congressional subpoena is exceedingly rare. But it is a legal order. Not an invitation -- an order," Warren said. "Yesterday we learned through his lawyer that Ralph de la Torre is saying he will refuse to obey a lawfully issued subpoena. Ralph de la Torre is one more rich guy who thinks the rules don't apply to him."
By Sam Drysdale, State House News Service
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