McConnell was rushed to the hospital in mid-June for an undisclosed medical reason, with his spokesperson David Popp issuing a vague statement regarding the reason for the hospitalization. It wasn’t until last week that media outlets learned McConnell had been discovered “unconscious” at his home and had to be administered CPR for potential “cardiac arrest.”
It remains unclear why McConnell’s staff refused to share details, but some, including independent journalist and crypto commentator Adam Cochran, have a theory.
“In Kentucky, a special election to replace a Senator will NOT be called if it’s closer than 3 months till the next election,” Cochran wrote Saturday in a social media post on X. “If McConnell’s condition is clearly unfit for office, they’d hide that to avoid being forced to submit a resignation letter until after that date.”
“So all they have to do is drag their feet until [the second Tuesday in August], then tell you that he didn’t make it,” Cochran continued. “And in turn block Massie from disrupting an otherwise safe Republican seat.”
David Morris, a journalist and author, also appeared to endorse the theory with a brutal jab at McConnell and his legacy.
“Mitch McConnell remaining technically alive for an extra three weeks because of a manipulative procedural maneuver is exactly how he would have wanted to go out,” Morris wrote in a social media post on X.
What’s the August 2nd date about? Do we check yearly whether a senator is dead or something?
I’m pretty sure it’s Aug 5, but it’s 90 days before the midterm election. Kentucky has a law where if a Senator vacates office before that, the Governor (currently a Democrat) appoints a replacement to finish out their term. The conspiracy theory is saying that they’re hiding the fact that he’s unfit to serve in order to keep their slim majority in the House until at least January.
Hypothetically if McConnel did die and they were able to keep it under wraps till, say August 15th - would a snap election occur at that point or would it be viewed that the deadline was missed?
I’m also curious if this has ever occurred before to serve as precedence for now. 302 senators have died in office in the past, so it’s a lot to try and look into I think.
If recent history is to serve as an example, it would likely be tied up in the courts until it no longer mattered.
“302 senators have died in office in the past” … really shows how the Senate has too many old bastards staying in office too long. They should be retired while they fade away into death, instead of making important decisions for the country that they will never have to worry about the consequences of.
If I understand it correctly, the law (passed just before Bashir was inaugurated) actually says there should be a special election called by the governor. However the state’s constitution says the governor picks the replacement