Committee votes to hold Steward CEO in contempt of Congress [Video]

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to hold Steward Health CEO Ralph de la Torre in contempt of Congress after a resolution introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders.It marks the first time since 1971 that an individual has faced such charges by the Senate, enabling the Department of Justice to take over the case and pursue criminal prosecution.Last week, members of a Senate committee voted unanimously on Thursday to hold de la Torre in both civil and criminal contempt of Congress.The affirmative vote could lead to fines, criminal prosecution and potential jail time. Last week, de la Torre was absent from a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing about the bankruptcy of his company, which operated several Massachusetts hospitals. De la Torre was first subpoenaed in July, but he issued repeated statements saying he would not attend the hearing. De la Torre’s attorneys sent a letter Wednesday to the Committee …