A former Republican congressional staffer called out Sen. Mitch McConnell's lack of transparency as his mysterious absence stretches into its sixth week.
The 84-year-old senator's office issued a second photo Monday showing McConnell seated in a hospital bed alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, and explaining that he was undergoing "intense physical therapy" on a doctor's orders, but Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear expressed doubts about his claims and demanded more clarity.
"The attending physician’s written statement does not discuss your actual condition, including whether you can speak, reason, or carry out your duties as a senator," the governor stated in a letter. "I understand anyone’s desire for privacy, but when you run for office and serve as one of a state’s two US senators, you willingly abdicate much of your personal privacy."
“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 added.
T.W. Arrighi, a former communications aide to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), agreed that McConnell owed his constituents a stronger explanation for his continued absence from the U.S. Senate.
"I think every American wants more transparency," Arrighi told "CNN This Morning." "Even the Republicans of Kentucky would like it. I'm not saying Mitch McConnell is lying or being deceitful. I just think he should be more forthright and put out a quick video."
"But look, let's put this in perspective," Arrighi added. "He's not running again, which was a good thing. I wish we had all old politicians say they aren't running again. He's not running again. We have three or four weeks, maybe, of the Senate calendar left. Everything else is operating, and they have a Democratic governor in Kentucky, so resigning is out of the option, out of the playbook."
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