McConnell out of hospital, still not ‘medically cleared’ to return to Senate

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is out of the hospital and on the mend after suffering a fall last month, but he still isn’t “medically cleared” to return to the Senate.

His office on Monday released the latest update on the longtime Senate Republican, who has been absent from the upper chamber and the public eye for over a month. The Office of the Attending Physician said in a statement that McConnell “continues his recovery from a fall at home in June.”

“OAP physicians visit with the senator every day, discussing all aspects of his rehabilitation care,” the Office of the Attending Physician said. “Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls.”

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“His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility,” they continued. “He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”

The latest update from McConnell-world comes after weeks of speculation and allegations that the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history was dead or in a vegetative state. 

McConnell’s extended absence from the Senate and murky timeline for his return come as Republicans are sprinting to clear the decks of several legislative priorities where his vote could be needed, including advancing a Russia sanctions package and confirming blockbuster nominees. 

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The newest release included a photo of McConnell and his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, taken on Sunday, along with a statement from the lawmaker where he lamented that, because of his recovery, he would not be able to attend the annual barbecue at Fancy Farm, Kentucky, which has become a staple for him and politicians to speak in the Blue Grass State.  

“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday,” McConnell said. 

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“There’s no place I’d rather be on the first Saturday in August than with the good people of western Kentucky, feasting on pork and mutton,” he continued. “When I first attended forty-two years ago, Fancy Farm was a pretty lonely place to be a Republican. But, my, how times have changed. Today, western Kentucky is a conservative Republican sea of red. So I hate that I’ll miss the fun this year, but I’m sending my best wishes to the St. Jerome community for a successful picnic.”

“As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon.”

His prolonged absence has prompted lawmakers in both chambers to call for more clarity and transparency about his condition and has led some to question the protocol for lawmakers going missing for months at a time. 

Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., just came back to the House after dealing with depression for months but kept the reasons tight-lipped until his return late last month. 

It also comes two weeks after the most recent official update from his office, which came the same day that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death was announced. It similarly included a photo of McConnell and Chao. 

His doctors noted in that update that McConnell had suffered a fall at home last month, but had not suffered fractures, broken bones, cardiac abnormalities, or a “stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage.” However, early into his hospitalization he “developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment.”