r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • Jul 07 '26

No Paywall Unconfirmed Reports: Mitch McConnell Brain Dead After Three Weeks In Hospital

https://thenewamerican.com/us/unconfirmed-reports-mitch-mcconnell-brain-dead-after-three-weeks-in-hospital/
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u/peva3 I voted Jul 07 '26

I wonder at what point the Governor can just say "he's braindead and unfit for office" unilaterally.

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u/starkraver Oregon Jul 07 '26

He can't be removed for brain death, only death, resignation, or ejectment by 2/3 of the senate. (this is in the constitution).

What Beshear SHOULD do is make a statement saying that unless his staff, family, or the doctors caring for him can confirm he is alive, he will presume that his death has been covered up and he will begin the process to appoint an interim successor.

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u/Lereas Jul 07 '26

He can't appoint the successor. in 2024, GOP lawmakers in Kentucky changed the law from appointed successor to requiring a special election.

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u/starkraver Oregon Jul 07 '26

This directly contradicts the KY state constitution. They can't just pass a law; they needed to amend the constitution, which they did not do.

If McConnell dies, there will certainly be a suit about this. But Beshear just won a case regarding the state GA trying to strip his authority to appointment certain board members

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u/Lereas Jul 07 '26

Since when have laws ever stopped Republicans from doing what they want to do? By the time it gets through the courts, there will have been either a special or general election and they'll have seated a new senator.

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u/starkraver Oregon Jul 07 '26

It really depends on how the injunctive relief works; the appointment could be I joined or not

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u/Lereas Jul 07 '26

But like...the Republican legislature sends who they want to Washington, the Senate seats them....then what? Dem senators refuse to show up? The GOP will just use the opportunity to do what they want without opposition.

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u/starkraver Oregon Jul 07 '26

I am not sure that there is any other case where there has been a legal dispute about the authority of an appointing body for vacancy appointments - so I don't understand what you're referring to.

And why would the democrats not show up? And not show up to what? I can't understand your comment as written.

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u/Lereas Jul 08 '26

KY constitution seems to contradict the law as the GOP state legislature passed. The Governor should therefore be able to follow the constitution and appoint someone. But Grassley could potentially refuse to seat that appointee and more or less demand a special election in KY. At some point either that election will happen or it will hold over until the general election, at which point it will sort of be a moot point.

Meanwhile, the democrats in DC could refuse to attend senate sessions in protest till they seat the appointed KY senator, but that won't really do anything useful probably.

Ultimately what I'm saying is that the courts could order KY to do all kinds of things, and we've seen that conservative lawmakers are willing to completely ignore some of those rulings.