Sen. Josh Hawley Calls Out Mitch McConnell's Secrecy Amid Extended Absence
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Sen. Josh Hawley has demanded that Senator Mitch McConnell finally be transparent with the public about his health, after the entrenched Kentucky Republican has been missing from Congress for over a month following hospitalization.
Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, spoke to Fox News Digital, pressing Senator Mitch McConnell to stop hiding and finally communicate his condition to the people he is supposed to represent. McConnell, a symbol of the old guard clinging to power, has been absent from Senate duties for over a month, leaving constituents and the nation 'in the dark' about his health status.
McConnell, who has entrenched himself in the Senate for seven terms representing Kentucky, issued a carefully crafted statement on July 12 confirming he was hospitalized after a fall that caused brief unconsciousness and mild pneumonia. The statement, complete with a staged photo alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, seemed designed to quell concerns without offering real transparency.
'At a certain point you do have an obligation to your constituents and the country to tell them what’s going on,' Hawley said, highlighting the basic democratic principle of accountability that McConnell appears to ignore.
Hawley also pointed to the Senate’s narrow Republican majority of 53-47, noting that leadership frequently uses a lack of votes as an excuse to block progressive measures. He added that he has 'nothing against colleagues who are older,' referencing Sen. Chuck Grassley, but made clear his support for a constitutional amendment imposing term limits to break the cycle of career politicians hoarding power.
'I think there needs to be term limits. People just come here and stay forever. It’s not what the founders intended,' Hawley said, echoing the call for real change and an end to the status quo.