Capitol Hill Physician Clears Mitch McConnell of Seizure, Stroke, and Parkinson’s Concerns Following Neurologist Evaluations
Capitol Hill attending physician, Dr. Brian Monahan, has stated in a recent letter that there’s no evidence to suggest that Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell has a seizure disorder, suffered a stroke, or has a movement disorder like Parkinson’s disease. This conclusion follows evaluations by a group of neurologists after McConnell’s recent health scares on live TV.
The letter, released by McConnell’s office on Tuesday, addresses the incident where McConnell froze in front of cameras for the second time in as many months, leading to questions about his ability to continue leading the Senate GOP Conference. After the recent incident in Covington, Kentucky, McConnell underwent evaluation by four neurologists.
In the Tuesday letter, Dr. Monahan mentioned consulting with McConnell’s neurologists and conducting various assessments, including brain MRI imaging and electrical brain imaging tests. The letter unequivocally states that there is no evidence of a seizure disorder, stroke, TIA (mini-stroke), or Parkinson’s disease.
During an appearance on “Anderson Cooper 360” on Tuesday, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, pointed out that EEG studies provide a snapshot of a specific moment in time and that someone could have a seizure, then later have a normal EEG. He noted that while the tests McConnell underwent were detailed and significant, they cannot definitively rule out a seizure and only offer a snapshot in time.
McConnell briefly addressed the freezing incident, acknowledging the attention it received in the press. He reassured that August had been a busy and productive month for him and his staff in Kentucky, detailing the events he participated in during the recess and pausing to take a drink of water during his floor remarks on Tuesday.
Members of the Senate GOP leadership team dismissed concerns about McConnell’s health as they emerged from their weekly meeting on Tuesday evening.
Senate GOP Leaders Discuss McConnell’s Future Amid Health Questions
“I believe he understands,” Cornyn remarked about McConnell addressing the conference during Wednesday’s lunch. “He realizes that transparency is advantageous and can dispel many speculations.”
When questioned by CNN about his support for McConnell’s remaining as leader in the next Congress, Senate GOP Whip John Thune replied, “I don’t want to speculate on that yet. But he has my full support, and he’ll have the conference’s support.” The reasons for McConnell’s momentary freezes remain unclear.
McConnell’s office attributed these episodes to “lightheadedness,” and Dr. Monahan had previously mentioned in a letter that it’s not uncommon for concussion victims to experience lightheadedness. McConnell’s had suffered a concussion and broken ribs in March after a fall in a Washington hotel, which kept him out of the Senate for nearly six weeks.
This note comes as the Senate resumes its session on Tuesday after a five-week recess, and GOP senators are expected to face questions regarding McConnell’s ability to lead his conference, a role he has held for 16 years, longer than any party leader in Senate history. McConnell is anticipated to remain leader through this Congress, but concerns are growing about his continuation into the next Congress, starting in 2025.
GOP Senators Weigh In on McConnell’s Health and Performance After Recent Incident
GOP Senator Susan Collins spoke with McConnell the day after the recent freezing incident and believes he is fully capable of handling his work.
“I don’t have any concerns,” said the Maine Republican when asked about McConnell’s health. “I spoke to Leader McConnell the day after the incident, and he sounded perfectly fine. We discussed the resumption of business this week, and I have confidence that he is fully prepared and capable of fulfilling his duties.”
GOP Senator Mitt Romney from Utah commented that even if McConnell’s experiences a 20-second “checkout” each day, he still performs admirably during the remaining 86,380 seconds of the day.
“The reality is that we might anticipate Mitch McConnell’s having a brief pause for 20 seconds a day, but for the other 86,380 seconds, he does an excellent job,” he remarked.
However, not all GOP senators were satisfied with McConnell’s explanation. Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul referred to the diagnosis of dehydration as an “insufficient explanation” and drew upon his 25 years of medical experience to state that “it doesn’t appear to be dehydration.