The CEO of a failed hospital system who was paid lots of of tens of millions of {dollars} whereas sufferers had been allegedly “killed and maimed” in his resource-starved and rotting services, was a no-show at a Senate listening to on Thursday—regardless of a bipartisan subpoena compelling him to seem.
Attorneys for Ralph de la Torre—the Harvard College-trained cardiac surgeon who took over the Steward Well being Care System in 2020—informed senators in a letter final week that he was unable to testify on the listening to. Regardless of beforehand agreeing to the listening to, de la Torre and his legal professionals argued {that a} federal courtroom order stemming from Steward’s chapter case, filed in Might, prevented him from discussing something amid reorganization and settlement efforts.
However that argument was discovered to be with out benefit by the Senate committee that issued the subpoena in July—the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), chaired by Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). In feedback to the Related Press Wednesday, Sanders mentioned there have been loads of matters he might have safely mentioned.
“Inform me about your yacht”
“He has determined to not present up as a result of he would not need to clarify to the American individuals how horrific his greed has grow to be,” Sanders mentioned. “Inform me about your yacht. Inform me about your fishing boat. I need to hear your justification for that. Inform that to the group the place workers was laid off when you made $250 million.”
On Thursday, lawmakers ready a seat for de la Torre on the listening to, nevertheless it stayed empty.
In a press release to ABC Information Thursday, Steward defended de la Torre’s absence. “The Committee continues to disregard the truth that there’s an ongoing settlement effort underway with all events that paves the way in which to maintain all of Steward’s remaining hospitals open and protect jobs,” the assertion mentioned. “Dr. de la Torre won’t do something that would jeopardize this effort.”
Lawmakers, in the meantime, have moved ahead with plans to pursue civil and legal contempt of Congress expenses. “A witness can not disregard and evade a duly licensed subpoena,” rating member Invoice Cassidy (R-La.) mentioned at at this time’s listening to. “Due to this fact, at this time, the chair and I shall be asking the committee to report a decision to authorize civil enforcement and legal contempt proceedings in opposition to Dr. de la Torre requiring compliance with the subpoena.” The committee has scheduled a session on Thursday, September 19, to undertake the 2 resolutions.
Whereas the star witness was AWOL, the listening to moved on, providing gorgeous and horrifying testimony from two Massachusetts nurses and Louisiana state leaders who skilled the circumstances at Steward’s hospitals, which quantity over 30 throughout eight states. Essentially the most heart-wrenching testimony got here from Ellen MacInnis, a nurse at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Middle in Boston, which was taken over by Steward.