Hoping to reassure his colleagues that he is physically capable of remaining as minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell released a letter from Congress’s attending physician on Tuesday, stating that investigations and tests have identified a stroke or seizure as the cause. of his recent illness. camera medical episodes.
In the letter, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the Navy vice admiral who serves as a physician on the scene at the Capitol for members of Congress and the Supreme Court, on his questioning of Kentucky Republican Mr. McConnell — along with an MRI of the brain , an electroencephalogram study and a neurological consultation – had found no sign of an epileptic disorder or stroke.
Both and other possibilities have been raised by medical professionals who saw a video of Mr. McConnell inexplicably freezing at a news conference last week, as well as a similar episode at the Capitol in July.
“There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you have had a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease,” the letter said, short for TIA, a type of mini-stroke. “No changes are recommended to treatment protocols as you continue to recover after your fall in March 2023.”
Mr. McConnell and his aides have both attributed alarming medical episodes to dizziness from a concussion he suffered after a serious fall in a Washington hotel in March, and to dehydration at the time of his performances. Dr. Monahan cited a similar reason when he issued a letter last week following Mr McConnell’s incident before examining him or conducting any tests.
When the Senate returned Tuesday after its extended August break, Republicans met for the first time since McConnell’s latest public incident, which has raised quiet questions about his ability to lead Republicans in the Senate and fueled speculation about a possible succession. . The release of the second medical note from the Capitol physician appeared to be an attempt to prevent any real action regarding his leadership and to show colleagues that he was not hiding the true extent of his medical condition.
Entering the Senate chamber on Tuesday, Mr. McConnell did not respond to reporters’ questions about his health, but he spoke sideways on the floor as he talked about the busy schedule he had in Kentucky over the past month.
“Now one particular moment of my time at home has received quite a bit of press coverage over the past week, but I assure you that August was a busy and productive month for me and my Commonwealth staff,” he said. he checked off events from his break schedule.
The Democrats made it a point to welcome Mr. McConnell back.
“I’m glad to see him back and do well with him,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat and Majority Leader.
So far, few senators have publicly called for any discussion of Mr. McConnell’s health, and most Republicans who have spoken have supported him.
But Tuesday night, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, who supported a failed challenge to Mr. McConnell by Florida Senator Rick Scott last year, raised questions.
“I don’t know; I’m worried about it,” said Mr. Hawley. “A few months ago there were 11 of us who didn’t support him. If you ask me if I’m worried about his health, yes, Naturally.”
Senate Republicans will meet on Wednesday for their first private luncheon since July and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and a close McConnell ally, said he expected the party leader to discuss his health status.
“I am confident that there will be some conversations or meetings,” Mr. Cornyn said, adding that he welcomed the Capitol doctor’s new letter and additional medical information.
“He feels good,” Mr. Cornyn said of Mr. McConnell. “He feels he can handle his job. But these two episodes, which obviously upset everyone, it’s just taking longer than I think he expected to recover from the concussion.
After last week’s incident, Mr. McConnell has called numerous senators to try to allay concerns about his health. He told them that the incidents were clearly side effects of his fall and had only happened twice, although he had stood in front of television cameras each time to record his comments to the media.
Dr. Monahan rarely speaks publicly about his job — and hardly ever about the medical condition of a member of Congress — strongly suggesting that the few short statements he’s written in recent days about Mr. McConnell’s condition were requested by the senator.
“He wouldn’t have released the letter if he didn’t want this matter pushed aside,” Mr Cornyn said of Mr McConnell on Tuesday.
Dr. A physician of internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, Monahan has been an attending physician since 2009, when he was nominated for the post by President Barack Obama.
Kayla Guo reporting contributed.