Sen. Susan Collins defends Mitch McConnell amid calls for health disclosure
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Senator Susan Collins criticized demands for proof of Senator Mitch McConnell's fitness to serve after his recent hospitalization, while referencing her own medical condition.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine pushed back on requests for evidence of Senator Mitch McConnell's ability to continue his duties following a fall that led to a hospital stay on June 14. Collins said the pressure from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has sent letters to both McConnell and Senate Majority Leader John Thune asking for proof of the Kentucky senator’s capacity, was “unseemly and unkind” and suggested the governor was using the issue for political gain.
Governor Beshear’s correspondence, obtained by the Daily Beast, asked McConnell to confirm that he could read, respond verbally and was not incapacitated, and urged him to provide proof of his ability to serve or consider resignation. Republican colleagues, including Sen. Rand Paul, described the governor’s actions as a political maneuver, while Sen. Bernie Moreno used harsh language to denounce Beshear.
Collins, who disclosed her own health condition earlier this year, said she suffers from a benign essential tremor that does not affect her Senate work. She noted that the governor’s focus on McConnell’s health was “so unseemly and so unkind to a senator who has been such a leader for so many years.”