Governor Andy Beshear is asking U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell to provide a public update on his health following weeks of growing concern about the longtime senator’s condition.
In a letter sent Wednesday to McConnell’s office, Beshear said Kentuckians deserve transparency and that continued speculation is unfair to both the senator and the public.
The request follows reports that McConnell was hospitalized on June 14, with little information released since then, and following recent national reports that some Republican lawmakers have spoken with the long-running legislator.
Beshear said his administration has received an increasing number of inquiries about the senator’s health and expressed hope that McConnell would provide an update while wishing him a safe and speedy recovery.
According to the Associated Press, top Senate Republicans say McConnell remains engaged as he recovers in the hospital.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republican Whip John Barrasso both spoke with McConnell this week, according to aides with knowledge on the matter, and the conversations covered national security, Senate business and politics.
Barrasso’s office says McConnell is improving and eager to return to work. The senator has been hospitalized since June 14 for undisclosed health issues, and his office has released only limited updates on his condition. McConnell is retiring when his Senate term ends in January.
