McConnell’s Health Update

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY.) revealed the Republican Congressional leader was in hospital after falling in a hotel and sustaining a concussion.

David Popp, McConnell’s communication director, revealed in a statement on Thursday (March 9) that on Wednesday evening, the Republican Senate leader “tripped at a dinner event… has been admitted to hospital and is being treated for a concussion.”

Popp added that McConnell is expected to remain in hospital for a few days for treatment and observation, expressing the gratitude the Kentucky Republican feels toward “the medical professionals for their care and to his colleagues for their warm wishes.”

According to two Senators who attended the event, the GOP Senate Leader fell at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., after a dinner for the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with McConnell and GOP leadership.

Vito Maggiolo, Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department’s spokesman, confirmed on Thursday morning that at 9:17 p.m. on Wednesday evening, an adult male was transported from the landmark Washington, D.C. hotel to the hospital after sustaining a fall.

Maggiolo noted he couldn’t confirm it the individual was McConnell, nor could he relay the hospital, citing federal privacy laws relating to the release of medical information.

Also on Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed that his thoughts and prayers were with McConnell, offering “a prayer of strength and healing” for him and his family, adding that he had “briefly” spoken to McConnell’s staff and asked them to extend his “prayers and well wishes.”

Biden also tweeted he and First Lady Jill Biden’s well wishes, mentioning he is “looking forward to seeing [McConnell] back on the Senate floor.”