Gov Andy Beshear demands McConnell prove fitness to serve or resign

Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., prove that he is fit to continue serving in Congress after being discharged this week from a lengthy hospital stay or resigning from office.

In a letter to McConnell, the governor asked the 84-year-old senator to address the people of Kentucky directly about his ability to serve.

“I urge you to address the people of Kentucky directly and verbally and provide evidence of your capacity to serve or resign,” Beshear wrote to McConnell.

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Beshear made the request after McConnell’s office announced Monday that he had been released from the hospital but was not medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility where he was receiving physical therapy and return to duty.

The senator’s office said he will miss a major political event in Kentucky and upcoming Senate votes.

“I am still working hard to return to my full work schedule in the Senate and Kentucky, and I am continuing intensive physical therapy as directed by my doctors. Unfortunately, this means I will not be able to travel to Fancy Farm in Kentucky this Saturday… As always, I appreciate your continued well-wishes and look forward to returning to the Senate and Kentucky soon,” McConnell said in a statement.

McConnell was hospitalized on June 14, which he later revealed was due to a fall at his home.

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The senator’s office said he will miss a major political event in Kentucky and upcoming Senate votes. (Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office)

“Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a grueling physical therapy and rehabilitation program, including multiple sessions per day designed to regain his strength and reduce his risk of future falls. His battle with childhood polio remains a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation center and return to the office,” the Specialist’s office said in a statement. he said.

Beshear first called on McConnell to release more information about his health earlier this month, after weeks of no public comment.

The governor also sent a letter Tuesday to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., urging the senator to investigate McConnell’s situation if he cannot prove he can continue his term.

“All of this speculation, and even this letter, could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” Beshear wrote to Thune.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Beshear, McConnell and Thune.

The governor called on the 84-year-old senator to address the people of Kentucky directly about his ability to serve. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Since he was hospitalized last month, McConnell’s office has released major updates on July 12 and July 27, with a photo included in each announcement.

This comes at a time when aging elected officials have come under intense public scrutiny in recent years for mental blunders and deaths in office.

Former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died in 2023, and former Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., died earlier this month. Former President Joe Biden suspended his 2024 re-election campaign in the face of bipartisan pressure over his age and mental acuity. President Donald Trump’s fitness to serve has also been questioned by Democrats; Democrats expressed concerns about his mental acuity, age and health, pointing to several gaffes, multiple hospital visits and visible bruises on his hands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.