Sen. Mitch McConnell was reportedly discharged from a rehabilitation facility after nearly two months in hospital, but his precise condition remains unclear. Outside his Washington home, chief of staff Terry Carmack — reported to earn $226,850 — and a healthcare worker declined to answer reporters. Video shows boxes for "MCombo lift recliners" through the senator’s briefly opened door. McConnell has not been publicly recorded speaking since his June 14 hospitalization, which reportedly involved CPR after a heart attack.
McConnell Reportedly Discharged From Rehab as Top Aide, Paid $226,850, Refuses Questions Outside Senator’s Home
Elizabeth Frantz / REUTERS
Sen. Mitch McConnell was reportedly discharged from a rehabilitation facility on Thursday after nearly two months in the hospital, but many questions about his condition remain unanswered.
Outside the senator’s Washington, D.C., home, McConnell’s chief of staff, Terry Carmack — who is reported to earn $226,850 a year — declined to respond to reporters’ questions, according to political correspondent Nicholas A. Ballasy, who posted video of the encounter on social media. A healthcare worker was also seen at the residence but did not speak with reporters.
McConnell’s operations director, Melissa Bennett, likewise refused on Friday to explain why the senator has not released a video message in almost 60 days since he was taken from his home by ambulance. She also declined to comment on his current health after visiting the residence.
Independent journalist Desirée Townsend shared separate footage showing boxes labeled for a pair of “MCombo lift recliners” visible through the senator’s briefly opened front door. Lift recliners are mechanized chairs designed to assist elderly, mobility-impaired, or post-surgical patients in standing and reclining.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Mitch McConnell
The Daily Beast and other outlets have reached out to McConnell’s office for additional comment.
What Is Known—and What Is Not
McConnell, 84, has not been seen in public or recorded speaking since before his hospitalization on June 14. Video footage aired by CNN showed emergency responders loading a possibly unconscious McConnell onto a stretcher and into an ambulance that morning; reports say he suffered a major medical emergency and required CPR after a heart attack.
Since then, colleagues have said they spoke with him about policy, and three statements purportedly written by McConnell have been released. Two photographs also were published showing the senator propped up in a hospital bed alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, wearing casual clothing and without an IV visible.
In a statement attributed to McConnell on Thursday he said: "I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home. Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I've received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff."
Despite these releases, major details about his current condition, prognosis, and capacity to resume official duties remain unclear to the public. News organizations continue to seek clarification from McConnell’s office and medical team.
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