Mitch McConnell

Republican

Senator
State: KY

Kentucky

via: timesnownews.com

Mitch McConnell Senate Absence: Pressure Grows for Health Update After Six Weeks

Mitch McConnell.

Sen. Mitch McConnell has been out of the Senate for nearly six weeks now, and the silence around his condition is starting to wear thin on colleagues from both parties. The 84 year old Kentucky Republican has not appeared in the chamber since he said he fell on June 14, and calls for more clarity are growing louder, according to The Washington Post.

McConnell's office released a photo on July 12 showing him holding a copy of The Washington Post, and he issued a statement saying he had been discharged from the hospital and was now at a rehabilitation facility. He stopped short of giving any timeline, saying only that he would not "be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet." That limited information hasn't done much to settle the wave of rumors and online chatter surrounding his health.

Kentucky's Governor Wants Answers

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said last week that he has heard nothing directly from McConnell since the hospitalization, even after sending a letter asking for an update. Beshear suggested McConnell could ease concerns with something as simple as a short video message or a brief call into a local news station.

He didn't hold back on what he thinks McConnell owes the people of Kentucky. "When you've been in a hospital for a month and you've missed all the votes… you owe your boss, like anybody else out there who works, an explanation of what's been going on and when you'll get back," Beshear said.

Even Allies Are Asking for More

The pressure isn't just coming from across the aisle. Scott Jennings, a longtime McConnell ally who has worked on his past campaigns, said this week that McConnell should start giving regular updates to constituents and be upfront about how he's balancing recovery with his Senate duties. Speaking on CNN's "The Arena with Kasie Hunt," Jennings said he expects an update from McConnell soon, but admitted the senator's slow rollout of information has cost him.

"Truthfully, I think a little transparency on the front end here would have saved him a whole lot of grief," Jennings said. "But that didn't happen and they are where they are now."

McConnell's Office Says He's Still Working

David Popp, a spokesman for McConnell, pushed back on the idea that the senator has been disengaged. He told the publication that McConnell has continued meeting with staff on Senate and Kentucky related matters, including defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, and constituent services.

"As the Senator continues to improve in rehab, we will be sure to keep you updated," Popp said.

When asked whether McConnell would attend Tuesday's funeral for his longtime colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham at Washington National Cathedral, Popp pointed back to McConnell's earlier statement rather than giving a direct answer.

What McConnell Has Said About His Condition

In his July 12 statement, McConnell said he did not break any bones in the fall and ruled out a heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, or concussion. Beyond that, he has offered little detail.

He also reflected on why he has been reluctant to share more. "Folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older," he said. "Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct. I can't help it."

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Mitch McConnell Senate Absence: Pressure Grows for Health Update After Six Weeks