Kentucky Republicans Called Out for 40-Day McConnell Silence
https://www.thedailybeast.com/kentucky-republicans-called-out-for-40-day-mcconnell-silence/
Kentucky Republicans Called Out for 40-Day McConnell Silence
It has now been 40 days since Senator Mitch McConnell was hospitalized, and the only evidence given that he’s on the mend has been one image of him smiling with his wife.
Kentucky Republicans have been largely silent when pressed over how he’s doing and appear less than interested in learning more about the most senior member of their delegation’s recovery in his extended absence.
In the hall on Capitol Hill, fellow Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul dodged questions on whether he would speak to McConnell or visit him in the hospital.
He told a local Kentucky station earlier this week that they had not spoken and said it was up to the people of Kentucky to decide if they were satisfied with the updates given on McConnell.
Rep. Andy Barr, the Republican Senate candidate nominated to replace McConnell with his retirement set at the end of this term, claimed more than a month ago that he had texted with McConnell but nothing else.
Other Kentucky Republicans did not respond to questions this week about whether they had spoken to McConnell or his team.
The silence is not sitting well with Barr’s Democratic Senate opponent Charles Booker, who pointed out on Friday that the Kentucky Republican demanded that Joe Biden step down just two years ago because of his health.
“If Andy Barr believed that Joe Biden should step down because of his health, why is he not demanding the same thing from Senator Mitch McConnell?” Booker asked.
The Kentucky Democrat blasted McConnell being in the hospital and missing dozens of votes with “no transparency and no clarity on whether he would ever recover.”
The last statement put out by the 84-year-old senator’s office claimed he was recovering at a rehabilitation center and “working hard to get back on the Senate floor.” It was released on July 12, nearly two weeks ago, and since then, his team has been silent.
His Communications Director Stephanie Penn smiled awkwardly as she ignored questions when confronted in the hall on Capitol Hill this week.
His longtime chief of staff, Terry Carmack, who is making $226,000 a year, also would not comment.
Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s demands for answers on McConnell have also been met with silence. He sent a letter more than two weeks ago to the senator seeking information. To date, he has been met with crickets in response.
The Daily Beast reached out to McConnell’s office repeatedly for comment, but has not received answers to any specific questions.
The only person who claims to have spoken to him this week was Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who on Monday said they had spoken several days before but did not go into detail.
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