Beshear says McConnell should disclose health details or resign

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) issued an ultimatum to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in a Monday letter: address Kentuckians about his ongoing absence from Congress or resign. 'As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,' Beshear wrote in a Monday letter shared with The Hill. The Republican senator has not been seen in public since his hospitalization for an unspecified medical condition on June 14. McConnell's office has released statements and two photos of the senator with his wife during his absence, which have done little to quell the growing demand for more information about the senator's health and capacity to serve the public. 'Per our research, a vacancy in the Senate occurs when a senator dies, resigns, or is expelled by a vote of the Senate itself,' the governor wrote. 'If you are unwilling to voluntarily show that you still have the capacity to serve, I will insist Leader Thune fully investigate your condition, report to the American people, and begin the process if warranted.' In this new letter, the Democrat noted that 'important events are happening in our country right now during your absence.' 'President Trump is stuck in a war of his own making and has greatly strengthened the very country he claims is a threat,' he continued. 'Prices continue to rise, crushing Americans who are working hard but not getting ahead. Americans' voting rights are being eliminated by the Supreme Court and threatened by congressional action. All while you are absent and refuse to communicate clearly and directly to the people you serve.' '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,' he wrote. 'That's the deal, and we all know it when we run.' In a Monday update, the Office of the Attending Physician, which provides medical care to members of Congress, said this childhood illness 'continues to be a significant factor in his mobility' and that McConnell is not yet medically cleared to return to Congress. The 84-year-old senator has faced a series of medical challenges in recent years, including a week-long hospitalization for flu-like symptoms in February and several falls in the U.S. Capitol. McConnell survived polio as a child, and he has said that he still has 'lingering effects' in his left leg from this illness. 'Senator 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 wrote. '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.' The Kentucky Republican, who was also the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, will retire at the end of his term in January.