Senator Mitch McConnell’s prolonged absence from the Senate is becoming a major headache for the Republican Party even as Democrats continue mounting attacks over it. It’s been 45 days since Senator McConnell has been “recovering” following his June 12 hospitalization, per his office.
Sen. McConnell’s office released the most recent update on his health on July 27. It included a photo of the Senator with his wife Elaine Chao, along with a statement from the 84-year-old and the doctors treating him.
The statement from the Senator’s physicians claimed that he has been discharged from hospital and is undergoing “physical therapy and rehabilitation.” But that has far from swayed the doubters, which includes Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
And those doubts have been reinforced with reporting from the George Washington Hospital in Washington D.C. claiming McConnell is still admitted there, contrary to the “discharged” claim by his office.
Is Mitch McConnell Still In Hospital? What We Know
McConnell said in his July 27 statement that he is “looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon.” Stressing on his recovery after the hospitalization, the Office of the Attending Physician (OPA) stated that since McConnell’s “discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls.” However, it adds that he is “not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”
The statement raised questions on whether McConnell has been discharged or if he is still at the hospital. Independent DC journalist Desiree Townsend, who has been reporting on McConnell’s admission at the George Washington hospital, shed some light on the situation on Tuesday.
She reported that despite the statement from the physician’s office claiming that McConnell has been discharged, he still remains at George Washington Hospital. The rehab facility that the Senator’s physician referred to is likely located inside the hospital.
“Everyone needs to read Mitch McConnell’s statement from yesterday very carefully,” Townsend reported, along with a video from outside the hospital. “It says he was discharged from hospital care, yet he’s still here at the hospital in rehabilitation.
“I don’t know why anyone would keep a high-profile figure like Senator Mitch McConnell at this hospital if he could be safely moved. If he were physically able to leave, why wouldn’t he be transferred to a more private and secure facility?”
Gov. Andy Beshear Mounts Scathing Attack
On Tuesday, Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear held a press conference in which he urged the US Senate to demand more information about the health of Senator Mitch McConnell. He also wrote a letter to the Senator’s office urging him to resign if he cannot provide proof of life.
“I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign.” he wrote in the letter.
He was similarly scathing with his attack on the Senator in his presser earlier, too. “I get that everybody wants a certain level of privacy,” he told reporters.
“I wish him well. I hope his health is improving. But if he can have a 17-minute conversation with his protege, he can call into your news stations for free. All we’re asking is a little bit of proof.”
