---
title: "Steward Health Care — Ralph de la Torre and the Senate subpoena: referral, civil suit and dismissal"
language: en
canonical: https://dossiertwist.com/dossiers/steward-health-care/senate-subpoena/
as_of: 2026-10-14
keywords: ["Steward Health Care","Cerberus","Medical Properties Trust","Ralph de la Torre","hospital bankruptcy","hospital transactions","CareMax","TRACO","Malta"]
---

# Steward Health Care — Ralph de la Torre and the Senate subpoena: referral, civil suit and dismissal

**Question.** What did the appellate decision actually decide?

**Answer.** The D.C. Circuit affirmed a jurisdictional dismissal of de la Torre’s civil action. The congressional contempt referral and any potential prosecution are separate; the decision preserved the distinction between immunity and constitutional defenses.

## The subpoena, referral and jurisdictional dismissal

- Analysis: After de la Torre declined to appear under subpoena, the Senate unanimously approved a criminal-contempt referral in September 2024. He sued the committee and senators, asserting constitutional objections. On 31 July 2026 the D.C. Circuit affirmed dismissal of his civil action for lack of jurisdiction under the Speech or Debate Clause, and affirmed denial of jurisdictional discovery. [s-d51] [s-d105] [s-d113] [s-d132] [s-d290]
  - Qualification: A congressional referral and dismissal of the witness’s civil lawsuit are not a criminal conviction. The court expressly distinguished immunity from the opportunity to raise constitutional defenses if a contempt prosecution were brought.
  - Response: De la Torre invoked the Fifth Amendment and his lawyers said the hearing would become a public pseudo-criminal proceeding.
  - Outcome: An August 2026 senator’s statement complained that DOJ had not acted on the referral. This record does not establish that a criminal contempt prosecution or conviction followed.

## Sources

- [s-d51] Regulatory record concerning Steward or the identified proceeding, U.S. Senate HELP Committee <https://www.help.senate.gov/download/s-res__-certifying-criminal-contempt-report>
- [s-d105] Court record concerning Steward or the identified proceeding, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit <https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/opinions/docs/2026/07/25-5353-2186066.pdf>
- [s-d113] Regulatory record concerning Steward or the identified proceeding, U.S. Senator Edward Markey <https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-help-committee-push-justice-department-to-hold-steward-healthcare-ceo-ralph-de-la-torre-accountable-for-corporate-greed>
- [s-d132] Regulatory record concerning Steward or the identified proceeding, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren <https://warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letters_to_doj_and_sec_restewardandmpt.pdf>
- [s-d290] Media source · s-d290