Sen. Paul raises serious concerns about McConnell's health — then accuses Capitol physician of 'misinformation'



Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is publicly questioning the health of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

What is the background?

McConnell, the 81-year-old Kentucky Republican, has grabbed attention for two scary episodes in which he appeared to "freeze up." McConnell's office blamed the incidents on light-headedness, while Capitol physician Dr. Brian Monahan blamed dehydration.

On Tuesday, Monahan said he conducted several tests on McConnell after the second incident but found no underlying neurological issues.

My examination of you following your August 30, 2023 brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment. There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease.

What did Paul say?

Paul, a medical doctor trained at the prestigious Duke University School of Medicine, is not buying what Dr. Monahan is selling.

"I've practiced medicine for 25 years and it doesn't look like dehydration to me," Paul, an ophthalmologist, said. "It looks like a focal neurologic event."

Sen. Rand Paul says its an 'inadequate representation' to say McConnell froze due to dehydration www.youtube.com

"When you get dehydrated you don’t have moments where your eyes look in the distance with a vacant look and you’re sort of basically unconscious with your eyes open. That is not a symptom of dehydration," Paul said.

Importantly, Paul explained that an electroencephalogram — otherwise known as an EEG study — cannot and should not be used to rule out a seizure disorder.

According to Paul, about 25% of people who experience a brain injury will experience seizures afterward, but 83% of those won't show up on an EEG test because they are too small and the test is not being conducted while a seizure is happening.

"When someone tells you, 'Oh, he has a normal EEG, therefore he doesn't have a seizure disorder,' that's not good medicine," he explained.

Paul clarified that his problem is not with McConnell or his fitness to serve — in fact, Paul explained that thanks to medicine, people function normally in high-profile jobs all the time despite experiencing neurological problems — but what he believes is a clear lack of transparency from Dr. Monahan.

"My point is that I'm just trying to counter the misinformation from the Senate doctor. It is basically not believable to come up and say that what's going on is dehydration," Paul said. "It makes it worse in the sense that by saying something that is obviously untrue, it leads to more distrust of the situation."

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Capitol attending physician speaks out about McConnell's health after latest freeze-up incident



The Capitol's attending physician, Brian Monahan, said Tuesday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) did not suffer a stroke or seizure when he appeared to freeze up last week.

What is the background?

While speaking with reporters in Kentucky last week, McConnell froze up for about 30 seconds after a reporter asked about his plans to run for re-election in 2026. He is 81 years old.

The scary episode came about one month after McConnell froze up mid-sentence in July while speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill. McConnell's office attributed both incidents to the Republican leader feeling "lightheaded" and denied that anything was wrong.

What did Monahan say?

After the Aug. 30 incident, Monahan conducted several medical examinations on McConnell, including a brain MRI and an electroencephalogram, and consulted with neurologists.

But there was no evidence of any neurological episode, Monahan said.

"My examination of you following your August 30, 2023 brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment," the doctor explained in a letter. "There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease."

That is welcome news for the Republican leader. But it likely will not slow down questions about McConnell's fitness for office.

Despite Monahan medically clearing McConnell last week, calls for McConnell's resignation intensified. However, McConnell's office has provided no indication that he plans to step down before his term ends.

Still, McConnell's top allies are defending him, saying publicly that McConnell is reassuring the Republican conference that he remains in good health.

"I spoke with Mitch yesterday afternoon ... and he was in good shape," Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said Sunday on CNN.

"He was direct. He said he fell. He said: 'I had that concussion.' And he said: 'They warned me that I would be lightheaded in the future and that I have got to be aware of it.' He said: 'It happened twice.' He said: 'It just so happens I'm doing it in front of reporters,'" Rounds continued. "But he felt good yesterday. He said he's got to watch his hydration levels."

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After latest freezing incident, 81-year-old Mitch McConnell deemed 'medically clear' to maintain schedule



Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, 81, had another public freezing episode on Wednesday, but attending physician to Congress Brian Monahan said in a Thursday statement that the senator is "medically clear" to maintain his schedule.

"I have consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. After evaluating yesterday's incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned. Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration," Monahan noted.

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Earlier this year, McConnell was treated for a concussion after tripping and also was said to have suffered a rib fracture.

Back in 2019, the long-serving legislator tripped, suffering a fractured shoulder.

The recent freezing incident occurred on Wednesday after McConnell had been asked about his thoughts on running for re-election in 2026. Initially, McConnell indicated that he had trouble hearing the questioner. The questioner tried a second time, but McConnell replied, "What are my thoughts about what?" After the questioner asked a third time, McConnell seemed like perhaps he was going to say something, but he then proceeded to stand silently while staring off blankly.

Mitch McConnell appears to freeze when asked about re-election www.youtube.com

McConnell, who has served as a U.S. senator for more than three decades, had previously frozen up in a similar manner last month.

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has claimed that McConnell, President Joe Biden, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania are not fit to serve.

"These politician’s staff and family members should be ashamed of themselves by enabling and allowing their loved ones to remain in office all to hold power," Greene asserted in a post on X.

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Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota similarly posted, "For goodness sake, the family, friends, and staff of Senators Feinstein and McConnell are doing them and our country a tremendous disservice. It's time for term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and some basic human decency."

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US Capitol lifts face mask mandate just in time for Biden's State of the Union address



Just in time for President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, face masks will no longer be required in the United States Capitol.

What are the details?

Capitol physician Brian Monahan advised Congress in a memo published Sunday that masks will no longer be required at the Capitol complex because of plummeting COVID-19 cases. Monahan cited new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bolster his decision.

"The Washington DC region is now in the 'green level' or low level in this new CDC schema allowing for reduction in coronavirus prevention measures such as coronavirus testing frequency and indoor mask wear," Monahan said, Axios reported.

"COVID19 layered protection measures such as vaccination emphasis, and daily home health screening inventory prior to coming to work should continue," Monahan explained.

Monahan also reversed instructions from House Sergeant at Arms William Walker that said every member of Congress attending Biden's State of the Union address on March 1 must wear an N95 or KN95 face mask.

"KN95 or N95 mask wear is no longer required and mask wear is now an individual choice option," Monahan said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ultimately controls face mask guidance for the House floor, but she has deferred to Monahan's guidance in the past and will likely do so now, Politico noted. The Senate never adopted mask requirements.

What is the background?

The CDC released updated indoor masking recommendations last week, which now determine the necessity for masking based on COVID-19 positivity rates and hospital admissions in a particular community. The changes mean that more than 70% of Americans can go indoors without a face mask.

The CDC's updated recommendations and Monahan's new guidance come as Democratic leaders nationwide drop pandemic-related mandates.

The swift changes have raised suspicion that midterm polls — and particularly the fact that a majority of polls show Democrats could lose big-time in November — are driving the decisions as opposed to public health considerations, but Democratic leaders say decreasing COVID case numbers and hospital admissions are behind the mandate rescissions.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky also stressed the importance of rolling back mandates now to bolster government credibility should they be deemed necessary in the future.

"None of us knows what the future may hold for us and for this virus," Walensky said Friday. "We need to be prepared and ready for whatever comes next. We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing, when levels are low, and then have the ability to reach for them again, should things get worse in the future."

Top House Physician Busted Without Mask During Briefing For Members On Pelosi’s New Mandatory Mask Rules

Brian Monahan, the attending physician of the United States Congress, was caught maskless while briefing members on why they are required to wear masks.