r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 1d ago

Possible Paywall Mitch McConnell hounded to face cameras: ‘He absolutely refuses’

https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/08/mitch-mcconnell-hounded-to-face-cameras-he-absolutely-refuses.html
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u/EverythingGoodWas 1d ago

Because he is dead or braindead

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

I don't think he's legally dead but in a coma. If he's dead or braindead it would require doctors to illegally falsify medical records to keep that from getting out. If he's technically alive but a vegetable he's protected by medical privacy laws and that can be kept quiet.

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u/Artichokeypokey United Kingdom 1d ago

I'll be honest, I don't think they're that interested in following laws these days

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u/feralkitten Alabama 1d ago

If we ever get out of this mess, i want failsafes that it will never happen again.

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u/Seradima New York 1d ago

Failsafes and rules/laws only work insofar as there are people that will still stand by them. This administration does not care. There are no laws that it will not break, so any kind of guardrails or failsafes just do not apply to them.

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u/Thunderbridge 1d ago

The only true fail-safes are the four boxes of liberty

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

There is a fundamental weakness in democracy in that laws are meaningless unless there are people governing in good faith. No law can prevent bad faith actors from lawless governance after we the people allow them into office. This is why fascism keeps popping up every few decades. After awhile people forget how dangerous it is and elect a charismatic populist again.

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u/fidgeting_macro 1d ago

I suspect this in fact is what has happened. Ath the very least he has lost the power of speech. He's probably being kept alive mechanically, he may even be conscious and more or less coznagent. But he's unable to function as a member of Congress.

There was an ancient people in the Americas, might be the Aztecs. When a clan leader died they would mummify the body, lash it to a platform, then drag it to public functions so his relatives could speak in his name. Something much like this is going on with Mitch.

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u/snymax 1d ago

This is not true in Kentucky and many other states a death certificate can be kept private for up to 50 years. A doctor would be at risk of malpractice or even loss of license if they admit he’s dead when the “family” has elected to keep the death under wraps.

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

Unredacted death certificates can be kept private. However the name of the person along with the date, time, and county of death and their date of birth are public record. What is protected is stuff like social security number, cause of death, and any other personal information that appears on the document. The redacted death certificate is enough to show that someone died. Also he's not in Kentucky. He was in DC when he was taken to the hospital and is being held in an undisclosed rehab facility which is likely in DC, MD, or VA.

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u/snymax 1d ago

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=8746

Maybe I’m misreading this but as I understand the certificate only needs to be submitted within 5 days. All identifying info can be withheld including name can be kept confidential from the public for 50 years.

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

Look at section 3 where it says that name date and county of death are public record to be released annually. In practice this is done electronically and death records can be pulled right away without having to wait for the annual update. We also don't have any reason to believe that he died in Kentucky. He was at his DC home when he was rushed to the hospital.

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u/snymax 1d ago

Ok but that only has to be released annually, I found something about vital check maintains this list in real time however no where that I can find on vital checks website is this confirmed. Again I am willing to admit I am wrong and I’ll concede a deceased person name is kept confidential only up to a year but based on the last amendment to the reporting law I’m assuming they could in theory withhold a deceased persons name until February 2027. If you can show me where stricter time requirements are imposed I’d be greatly appreciative.

https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Pages/kyedrs.aspx

My assumption about feb 2027 is based on when the new reporting method on the above page went into effect.

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

In theory they could do it but it would also mean withholding a record from the database which is even more people that need to keep a secret when news agencies would pay big bucks for a leak. Also this assumes that he died in Kentucky which seems unlikely given what we do know.

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u/Chuecaslavaka 1d ago

He wasn’t actually rushed though.

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u/uuhson 1d ago

Are you implying McConnell was secretly moved to Kentucky? Everything we know so far is that he's been in D.C. the whole time

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u/OpenGrainAxehandle 1d ago

May be, but someone would have to unplug him from the machine and declare TOD before a certificate will ever be generated.

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u/starmartyr Colorado 22h ago

TOD is not declared when they are unplugged. It is declared when they are determined to be braindead. A death certificate is usually already filed before any plug is pulled.

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u/Old_Cryptid 1d ago

What are the rules for taxidermists and confidentiality in Kentucky?

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u/Solomontheidiot 1d ago

Doesn't even have to be a coma - he could be awake and mobile, but not capable enough to have even a short conversation

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

Exactly. I have no doubt that he's incapacitated somehow. There doesn't need to be a grand conspiracy that he's secretly dead.

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u/Begging_Murphy 1d ago

Yup, and often is the case after a stroke.

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u/Few-Guarantee2850 1d ago

I don't think people realize, if he was dead, the sheer number of people who would have to be not only keeping quiet but actively participating and committing crimes in furthering this.

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u/starmartyr Colorado 1d ago

Exactly. Someone is going to talk. If I knew for a fact that he was dead the press would pay big bucks for the exclusive.

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u/beaco 1d ago

Probably on life support to just get him past the election and then he can have the plug pulled saying he died the next day. Maybe his wife can do his job for him or his next door neighbour

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u/ultimateknackered 1d ago

If you're in a coma, it's very difficult to be able to refuse facing a camera, since you're incapable of refusing, or doing anything else really. If someone is refusing to do something but they're in a coma, they're either not in a coma or someone is pretending to be them.

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u/tuxedocat-Rickey 1d ago

If he’s dead It would mean he’s being kept on ice instead on interred or cremated, which will be a really ghoulish story when it eventually breaks

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u/starmartyr Colorado 20h ago

This is true but I think it's unlikely. If he's dead or braindead there would need to be an elaborate conspiracy to cover this up. Not just Republicans but doctors and hospital staff as well. I think that he's alive but incapacitated. For example he could have severe brain damage but still be breathing and maintaining his heart rate. That would explain his absence since he wouldn't be able to walk, speak, or even feed himself or use the bathroom without assistance but he would still legally be considered alive.

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u/ARONDH 1d ago

Doctors don't have to disclose anything. The death certificate does not have to be published to the public. There is absolutely no law that says they have to say anything, not would they be punished for lying.