Video showed Sen. Mitch McConnell, in a wheelchair, being taken from his Washington home to the Capitol on Tuesday ahead of a roll-call vote; he did not answer a reporter’s questions and slowly raised a peace sign. It was his second week back after a 92-day absence.
McConnell has attributed his absence to a fall in mid-June followed by pneumonia. He missed 60 Senate votes during the 92 days away and continued receiving his $174,000 annual Senate salary while hospitalized; the article says he earned $43,500 over the absence.
At a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting last Wednesday, McConnell needed prompting from Chief of Staff Terry Carmack and Republicans present to vote “aye” on the Farm Bill, which passed by one vote. Vascular surgeon Anahita Dua told The Daily Beast she believed McConnell was in no position to work. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
