The embattled Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre has filed a lawsuit against a US Senate committee that pursued contempt charges against him for failing to appear before the panel despite being issued a subpoena.

The lawsuit named nearly all members of the health, education, labour and pensions committee, including Senator Bernie Sanders, who chairs the committee.

The lawsuit claims that the lawmakers are unfairly violating de la Torre’s constitutional rights not to be compelled to be a witness against himself.

The lawsuit comes a day before de la Torre is set to step down as CEO of Steward Health Care.

Commenting, a spokesperson for Sanders dismissed the lawsuit: Democrats and Republicans on the committee came together and unanimously voted to hold de la Torre in contempt of Congress, as did the entire US Senate.

Steward Health Care made Malta the first stop in its aggressive bid to expand internationally, even as its chain of hospitals was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.