Kentucky governor urges McConnell to 'provide proof' in new letter

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has issued a new plea for Sen. Mitch McConnell to give a verbal update on his condition six weeks after he was hospitalized for a fall. In a July 27 letter to McConnell, Beshear called on the Kentucky Republican to 'directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign.' The Democratic governor also said he sent a copy of the letter to Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, to ask the Senate Majority Leader to investigate further if McConnell does not issue an update. It came as McConnell's office released a new photo and briefing on his treatment, revealing that the 84-year-old is still undergoing 'intense physical therapy' in a rehabilitation facility. McConnell was hospitalized on the morning of June 14 after experiencing a fall that left him briefly unconscious, his office said earlier this month. 'It has now been 43 days since news of your hospitalization. During that time you have cast zero votes, engaged in no official activities, and aside from two photos and corresponding statements, have made no effort to communicate with your Kentucky constituents or the nation,' Beshear wrote. On the latest update from McConnell's physician, Beshear rebuked that it 'does not discuss your actual condition, including whether you can speak, reason, or carry out your duties as a senator.' 'I understand anyone's desire for privacy, but when you run for office and serve as one of a state's two U.S. senators, you willingly abdicate much of your personal privacy. That's the deal, and we all know it when we run,' he wrote. McConnell has faced bipartisan calls for transparency over the lack of information about his condition. The senator has missed more than three dozen roll call votes in the Senate, including on key measures such as the annual defense policy bill and ending the Iran war. 'Kentuckians are just asking you to be honest,' Beshear added. The lifelong effects of McConnell's bout with childhood polio continue to be a 'significant factor in his mobility,' the statement said.