Lawmakers say they might search to carry Steward Well being Care CEO Ralph de la Torre in contempt of Congress if he does not seem at a listening to Thursday on Capitol Hill, senators from each events instructed CBS Information.
“If somebody exhibits contempt for the folks of america by not coming to testify each to probably clear his title, but in addition to offer them perception, then that could be a contemptible factor,” mentioned Sen. Invoice Cassidy of Louisiana, the rating Republican member of the Senate committee investigating Steward.
The corporate, which had owned greater than three dozen hospitals throughout eight states, declared chapter earlier this 12 months and has been struggling to search out consumers for its services. Final week, de la Torre’s lawyer wrote to the committee, saying his consumer would “not take part” within the listening to, asserting the testimony wanted to be postponed till after Steward’s chapter proceedings had been resolved.
The committee’s chairman, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, refused to postpone the listening to, the place lawmakers can even hear from well being care employees and native officers in communities impacted by Steward’s chapter.
For almost two years, a CBS Information investigation has documented how non-public fairness traders and de la Torre extracted a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars} whereas well being care employees and sufferers struggled to get the life-saving provides they wanted. Final month, the corporate closed two Massachusetts hospitals, leaving about 1,200 employees jobless, in line with the state.
The choice to compel de la Torre’s testimony is extremely uncommon — the final subpoena issued by the committee occurred within the Nineteen Eighties. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, a member of the committee, mentioned he considers de la Torre to “a fugitive on the run,”
“If he does not present up, he is defying a authorized order that he seem,” Markey instructed CBS Information. “Subsequently he needs to be accountable and held in contempt,” including the committee will work on a bipartisan foundation to find out whether or not de la Torre would face legal or civil penalties for failing to seem.
Along with congressional scrutiny, Steward is the topic of a legal probe by the Division of Justice. A federal grand jury in Boston is analyzing the compensation, spending and journey of the corporate’s high executives, together with de la Torre, an individual conversant in the matter instructed CBS Information.
By a spokesperson, de la Torre has denied wrongdoing.
Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe through Getty Pictures
“Dr. de la Torre did all the pieces in his energy to assist Steward Well being Care overcome quite a few trade headwinds and challenges, together with personally buying mandatory tools and provides with a view to tackle the wants of sufferers and personally guaranteeing loans for the corporate along with his property,” the spokesperson mentioned in an announcement.
Markey mentioned he is not shopping for that rationalization, and accused de la Torre, a former cardiac surgeon, of violating his Hippocratic oath.
“What Dr. de la Torre and personal fairness have perpetrated is one thing that’s so heartless, so merciless, and so dangerous to probably the most weak folks in our society,” Markey mentioned.
Louisiana can also be residence to a Steward hospital, and Cassidy, who can also be a medical physician, mentioned he is been listening to disturbing tales from his constituents about provide shortages on the facility.
“It has been unable to pay its payments, and folk are being turned away,” Cassidy mentioned. “We’re instructed at the very least one died awaiting switch. Now, take into consideration that. That does not sound like america of America.
Cassidy mentioned he’s dedicated to working throughout the aisle with Markey to handle a number of the monetary maneuvers that allowed Steward’s traders to revenue as affected person care suffered.
“Though he is a liberal Democrat and I am a conservative Republican, we’re united in how to verify folks get the well being care they want,” he mentioned.
Pat Milton
contributed to this report.
