Pete Ricketts

Nebraska GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts apologized to a TMZ DC reporter after trying to use Capitol Police to shield him from questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., health.

TMZ DC's Charlie Cotton posted a video of the incident on X on Thursday, writing, "@SenatorRicketts sicked Capitol Police on me to get out of answering basic questions!"

The video clip begins with Ricketts saying to another reporter, "Health issues like that, you should be ashamed of yourself."

Cotton then asks Ricketts, "Do you think Mitch McConnell needs to do more to prove his health?"

Ricketts responded, “I think we should give Mitch the time he needs to be able to recover, come back to the Senate. We're praying for him and wish him well.”

"Yeah, but we can give him the time he needs while also he provides," Cotton started to say.

Ricketts motioned to Capitol Police as he passed by them at a metal detector, saying that Cotton and the other journalist were not with him.

"Yeah, but I'm a reporter, sir," Cotton said, later adding that he had already "been through security."

The conversation over McConnell's health comes as he was admitted to the hospital on June 14, according to a spokesperson. McConnell said earlier this month that he had been admitted to the hospital after a fall and developed a mild case of pneumonia.

“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion,” he said. “I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital.”

On Monday, McConnell's office said that he is “still working hard to get back to my full schedule.”

A physician said in the statement that McConnell is undergoing “physical therapy and rehabilitation” and has not yet been “medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”

Ricketts replied to Cotton's post on Thursday, writing, "I reacted poorly. I appreciate @hicharliecotton taking my phone call so I could apologize."

Cotton responded, "I accept your apology Pete. I respect anyone who can take accountability when they make a mistake. Thank u for the call - I look fwd to our next conversation."