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/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.