Mitch McConnell seemed lethargic as he was transported to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, slowly holding up a “peace” sign toward a reporter whose questions he did not answer.
In his second week back at work following a 92-day absence, the wheelchair-bound senator was rolled out of his Washington, D.C. home and into a waiting vehicle ahead of a roll call vote, video from reporter Desiree Townsend shows.
The 84-year-old remained mute in response to Townsend’s questions about his weekend, but waved at her as they rolled him into the vehicle. Longtime Chief of Staff Terry Carmack, who is set to make $226,000 this year, held an umbrella over his boss, then hopped in himself.
“Terry, is it safe bringing him back to the Senate like this?” Townsend called out.
Carmack ignored her.
“Senator McConnell, do you want to go to work?” Townsend then asked. “Do you want to be at work, sir? Would you rather be home? You’d rather be home?”
Instead of speaking, McConnell slowly turned his head toward Townsend and raised his right hand in a “peace” sign. It was the same gesture he made several times last week in response to questions. His grin also matched the expression he had last Monday while sitting in the vehicle before heading to the Capitol.
The vehicle’s sliding door then closed as McConnell appeared frozen.
McConnell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The retiring senator, who attributed his prolonged absence to a fall in mid-June followed by pneumonia, raised additional concerns last Wednesday about his ability to serve out his remaining months in office. During a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting, he needed coaching on how to vote on the Farm Bill, which ultimately passed by a single vote.
McConnell’s name was said twice as Carmack and Republicans in the room told him to vote “aye,” which he finally did, hoarsely.
McConnell’s appearance last week led one top vascular surgeon to say he was in no condition to be at work.
“Unless he’s something different from the patients that I see day to day, he is in no position to be going onto the Senate floor, listening to hours of testimony, reading bills, and making executive decisions when he’s probably in pain, probably unable to do the basic things like something as simple as he needs to go to the bathroom,” Dr. Anahita Dua told the Daily Beast.
McConnell continued to receive Senate pay, which is $174,000 annually, while hospitalized. Over the 92 days he was away from the legislature, missing 60 votes, he earned $43,500.
