Republican Rep. Marlin Stutzman has publicly questioned the lack of information about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health, saying he does not know whether the longtime Kentucky senator is still alive after nearly a month in the hospital.
Speaking on NewsNation’s Morning in America, the Indiana congressman criticised McConnell’s office for providing limited updates since the senator was admitted to the hospital on June 14.
According to McConnell’s office, however, the senator is recovering and continues to work with his staff while the Senate remains out of session.
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“Do you know that he’s alive? I don’t.”
During the television interview, Stutzman said McConnell’s constituents deserved greater transparency about the senator’s condition.
“I have not heard from him, and I think it’s a question that Republicans should be asking because he does represent the state of Kentucky,” Stutzman said. “His constituents deserve answers where he is at.”
The Indiana Republican also backed Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for additional information. Beshear recently sent a letter asking McConnell’s office to provide a clearer update on the senator’s health.
“I think that the governor of Kentucky has every right to ask after three weeks if no one has said anything,” Stutzman said.
He added that Republicans should hold members of their own party accountable. “As a Republican, I think we need to hold our own party accountable, so the fact that we haven’t heard anything really from Sen. McConnell is very discouraging and concerning,” he said.
Stutzman went further by questioning whether McConnell was still alive.
“Do you know that he’s alive? I don’t,” he said. “The things that I’ve heard and seen from some friends are that he’s obviously not doing well, but I don’t know if he’s alive or has passed away.”
Also read: Mitch McConnell health update: ‘Brain dead’ rumors surface as senator remains hospitalized
What is Mitch McConnell’s health status?
McConnell, the longest-serving US senator in Kentucky’s history and a former Senate Republican leader, was admitted to hospital on June 14. His office has not disclosed the nature of his illness.
The lack of detailed information has fuelled speculation and prompted calls from both Republicans and Democrats for greater transparency.
Right-wing activist Laura Loomer also made unsubstantiated assertions on X, citing an unnamed source, amid the absence of official updates. In an X post, she claimed that “a high-level source close to the White House” told her that Mitch McConnell is “officially brain dead” and “isn’t ever coming back.”
However, McConnell’s office has maintained that the senator is recovering.
“Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” his office stated on Monday.
