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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday that he has received no response from Sen. Mitch McConnell after repeatedly asking the longtime Republican senator to provide more information about his health and ability to serve following a nearly two-month hospitalization.
“I’ve heard absolutely nothing back from Mitch McConnell,” Beshear said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized June 14 after a fall. His limited public communication during the ensuing weeks prompted questions about his condition and whether he remained capable of carrying out his duties in the Senate.
The senator has since been discharged from a rehabilitation facility and said he would continue recovering at home. His statement did not specify when he expected to return to Capitol Hill.
Beshear says Kentuckians deserve answers
Beshear, a Democrat, first wrote to McConnell on July 8 seeking an update on his health.
In the letter, Beshear said Kentuckians had become increasingly concerned about McConnell’s “health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate.”
Beshear later sent another letter urging McConnell to address his constituents directly and provide evidence that he remained capable of serving.
On Sunday, Beshear said McConnell’s responsibility is ultimately to the people of Kentucky.
“I do hope that he is getting better,” Beshear said, noting that he has known McConnell throughout his life. But, he added, McConnell’s “boss are the people of Kentucky.”
Beshear argued that McConnell could quickly ease concerns by speaking directly to the public.
“All he needs to do is call into this show for two minutes, or Fox News for two minutes, or do a video for two minutes to the people he’s supposed to serve,” Beshear said. “But you know what? He absolutely refuses to do it.”
McConnell has provided few details about recovery
McConnell’s office has released limited information about his condition since his hospitalization.
Days after Beshear’s first letter, McConnell issued his first public statement since entering the hospital. He said the hospitalization followed a fall and disclosed that he had moved to a rehabilitation facility.
Earlier this month, McConnell announced that he had been discharged from rehabilitation, nearly two months after his initial hospitalization.
McConnell, a childhood survivor of polio, said he would continue his recovery at home.
The senator has not publicly said when he expects to return to the Senate.
Beshear criticizes Senate leadership
Beshear also directed criticism at Senate Majority Leader John Thune, arguing that the Republican leader has a responsibility to ensure senators are capable of performing their duties.
Thune, who previously served as McConnell’s No. 2 when McConnell was Senate Republican leader, has deferred questions about McConnell’s health to the senator and his staff while expressing hope that McConnell will return to Washington.
“As the leader of the Senate, you’ve got a duty to make sure all of your senators have the capacity to serve,” Beshear said. “And what is he saying? Not my job.”
The comments add a political dimension to growing questions surrounding McConnell’s extended absence and limited public appearances.
Questions about McConnell’s future remain
McConnell has not announced plans to resign from the Senate, and there is no indication in the information provided that he intends to do so.
But his prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation have intensified questions about how long he can remain away from Washington while representing Kentucky.
Beshear’s demands also highlight an unusual political situation: The state’s Democratic governor is publicly pressing a Republican senator to demonstrate his fitness for office while McConnell’s Republican colleagues largely defer to him and his staff.
For now, McConnell’s plans for returning to the Senate remain unclear, leaving Kentucky voters with few details about when they can expect their longtime senator back at work.
