A Senate committee on Thursday approved referring Steward Health Care chief executive Ralph de la Torre for civil and criminal charges over his refusal to testify about the hospital chain’s financial crisis.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 20 to zero, with only Kentucky Senator Rand Paul abstaining, on both resolutions to hold de la Torre in contempt of Congress after he skipped appearing at a hearing last week despite being subpoenaed.
If the full Senate goes along and the Justice Department presses charges, de la Torre could find himself facing potential prison time.
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