Kentucky Governor says he received agency calls that Senator McConnell might have died
Governor Andy Beshear said he was contacted by two agencies that suggested Senator Mitch McConnell had died while hospitalized, though the senator later confirmed he is recovering from a fall.
Governor Andy Beshear said he received two phone calls from agencies, not state bodies, indicating that Senator Mitch McConnell had passed away while he was in the hospital. Beshear did not identify the agencies or the timing of the calls during a interview with Katie Couric posted on YouTube.
McConnell’s office issued a statement on July 12 confirming that the senator was being treated for injuries sustained in a June fall, and released a photo of him in a hospital bed with his wife. Earlier emergency dispatch audio from June 14 described McConnell as "unconscious" and suggested a possible heart attack.
The senator later clarified that doctors found no broken bones, concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors, or hemorrhages, and that he developed pneumonia early in his stay but responded quickly to antibiotics. He said he plans to return to the Senate, though no timeline was provided.
Beshear previously urged the senator to provide a public health update, posting on social media that he was calling on McConnell to address voter concerns and end speculation about his condition. He also sent a letter on July 8 requesting a full update for Kentuckians.