Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said this week that he received two calls from agencies indicating Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had died while the Republican leader was hospitalized. Beshear, a Democrat, did not specify which agencies made the calls or when they occurred, according to an interview with Katie Couric uploaded to YouTube on Thursday.
"In fact, I'd gotten two calls from different agencies, not state agencies, suggesting he'd passed," Beshear stated. He has served as governor since December 2019.
McConnell's office released a statement on July 12, about a month after his hospitalization, confirming he was being treated for a fall he suffered in June. The statement included a photograph of him in a hospital bed with his wife. Prior to this announcement, there had been speculation about McConnell's condition due to the lack of information from his office regarding his hospitalization.
Emergency dispatch audio from June 14, the day McConnell was hospitalized, indicated he was "unconscious" and may have suffered a heart attack.
McConnell's doctors confirmed he did not break any bones or suffer a concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors, or hemorrhages, according to the July 12 statement. Earlier in his hospitalization, McConnell's doctor noted that he "developed pneumonia" but "responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment."
Two days before McConnell shared details about his health, Beshear had posted on social media urging more transparency from the senator. Beshear also sent a letter on July 8 to the 84-year-old lawmaker, requesting an update on his health status to address public concerns. McConnell's office has not provided a timeline for his return to the Senate.