Kentucky governor says McConnell ignored health update requests

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Sunday that Senator Mitch McConnell has not responded to repeated requests for a health update, including a formal letter sent in July. Speaking on CBS News' Face the Nation, Beshear said: 'I've heard absolutely nothing back from Mitch McConnell.' The 84-year-old senator was hospitalised on June 14 after a fall and later moved to a rehabilitation centre before being discharged to continue recovery at home.

Beshear criticised both McConnell and Senate Majority Leader John Thune for a lack of transparency. 'This is why the Senate, the Republican-controlled Senate, feels so broken, they feel like they're not accountable to anyone,' Beshear said, as reported by CBS News. Some Republicans have also called for more openness. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama told Fox News that 'somebody needs to do something,' and McConnell ally Scott Jennings told Newsweek that more transparency would have prevented controversy.

McConnell's office said in an August 6 statement that he would continue physical therapy at home and remain engaged with staff and colleagues. Jennings said he spoke to McConnell by phone and found him 'engaged and alert.' The Senate is expected to reconvene later this year, when McConnell's return could be tested.