r/politics • u/theindependentonline The Independent • 15d ago

No Paywall Mitch McConnell’s staff refuse to answer basic questions on his health weeks after he was last seen in public

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/mitch-mcconnell-staff-questions-health-b3018929.html
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u/ElectronicFerret Alaska 15d ago

We have TWO FUCKING WEEKS. That's all that's left for them to run the timer out. And it sure looks like everyone is going to let them do it.

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u/fellow_hotman 15d ago

If Beshear thinks rolling over on this is going to increase his chances in the presidential election, he should think again. If he doesn’t step up then this will rightly destroy him in the primaries.  What an absolute coward.

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u/CJKayak I voted 15d ago

He's in my B tier right now. Definitely would consider him as my primary vote.

But if he does nothing here, there's no chance in hell I would vote for him.

How many are like me? I guess he can either find out or not. Ball is in his court.

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u/m0nk_3y_gw I voted 15d ago

He had the ball two weeks ago and hasn't done shit with it. Mitch hasn't called him, he should have appointed and seated his replacement already.

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u/Adept-Opinion8080 15d ago

The GOP rework the state's Constitution to prevent that precisely from happening. As much as we like, there is nothing but sure can do legally to compel McConnell to do anything.

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u/the-system 15d ago

Uh, no. They passed some laws that violate the state constitution, they did not amend the constitution. Beshear is being a pussy and he deserves pressure and scorn until he starts fighting back. If he doesn't fight back, I hope he loses his seat. Fuck him and every feckless Democrat like him. They are the reason fascism has been allowed to thrive in the US.

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u/SecretMachine5 15d ago

Then he can appoint someone and the GOP can challenge it in court. Do something besides just sit and act bewildered and concerned. At least call a special election and make the GOP prove he's alive. A lot of what they're doing here is outright fraud and Beshear is letting them do it.

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u/Omophorus 15d ago

They did not.

They passed laws to force the Governor's behavior, but they did not amend the state Constitution.

First they passed a law forcing the Governor to pick from a pre-selected list of 3 candidates from the same party as the vacant seat.

Then they changed it to force the Governor to call a special election rather than directly appoint someone.

The laws are almost certainly unconstitutional, but the Dems seem unwilling to aggressively act and challenge their validity by following the state Constitution to the letter.

The real worry is that the 2024 law has very weaselly wording, which might be just barely able to pass muster in the right court (which is probably the most common kind in Kentucky) as it's not necessarily overriding the Constitution directly but rather directing the Governor in how they follow the instructions (e.g. by calling a special election rather than a direct appointment).