McConnell's office says the 84-year-old senator remains in rehabilitation and has not been cleared to return to work. On Monday, a photo of McConnell alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, accompanied a statement from the senator saying he would not be attending Fancy Farm.
Governor Andy Beshear responded with his own letter calling for more transparency, saying staff statements and photos are not enough. Beshear is asking McConnell to publicly demonstrate he is able to serve or for his office to provide more details about his condition. Beshear appeared on Bloomberg.
"We have asked this time, if he is not gonna (sic) respond, for his staff to step up and to be honest and transparent.
I hope in all this, because I don't wish him ill. I've known members of his family. We have always been to each other," Beshear said. "I hope he can just provide whether it's video or other proof, and we can move on, and all this speculation can end, and we ultimately know when he'll be back voting in the Senate. But we're all expected to be in a position to do our job, and it's not asking a lot for proof of it."
Beshear has also sent a letter calling on U.S. Senate leaders to step in.
"The Senate needs to take some form of action, and that can be simply providing the type of evidence that people deserve, that he still has the capacity (to serve)," Beshear said.
McConnell's absence has affected Senate business. He has missed 38 votes, leaving the Senate Appropriations Committee tied and slowing progress on government spending bills.
No timeline has been given for McConnell to return to serve.
