A federal judge has dismissed former Dallas-based Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre’s lawsuit against members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee after ruling that lawmakers have immunity for the legislative actions he challenged under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.

Dr. de la Torre sued the HELP Committee and its members on Sept. 30, 2024, in federal court after they voted to hold him in contempt for skipping a HELP committee hearing that he was subpoenaed to attend earlier that month. Dr. de la Torre alleged that the committee unconstitutionally punished him for invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to testify and led an “unvarnished and unlawful crusade to deter, punish and publicly humiliate” him.  However, District Court for the District

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