SenatorMitch McConnell was showing signs of utter confusion 10 days before he was hospitalized ... voting incorrectly and even getting the Senate Clerk to signal yea or nay.
Charlieturned up some pretty shocking videos from June 4th, when the Senate had a marathon session called vote-a-rama, where Senators voted 29 times during an 18-hour session.
The first video (above) shows Mitch voting yea, and then a concerned clerk walks up to Mitch's Chief of Staff, apparently telling him the Senator from Kentucky voted incorrectly. After a quick huddle, you see Mitch change his vote to nay.
Mitch McConnell apparently has Scott Jennings on speed dial ... and CNN wants to know why the Senator from Kentucky is calling his old pal instead of a credible news organization.
Scott got the third degree Tuesday on "The Arena with Kasie Hunt" after claiming McConnell personally called him earlier in the day.
CNN contributor Lulu Garcia-Navarro went straight at the elephant in the room ... "Why isn't he calling into a credible news organization?"
Mitch McConnell's D.C. home has drawn plenty of eyeballs during his mysterious weeks-long absence ... and it turns out there really was a Senator living there the whole time -- just not Mitch.
Charlieswung by the property Thursday hoping to spot McConnell after his release from a rehabilitation center ... but instead, our intrepid TMZ DC producer stumbled upon Sen. Thom Tillis, who had a key to the place.
When Charlie asked if he was visiting Mitch, Tillis dropped quite the plot twist ... "No, I live here."
Senator Mitch McConnell says he's been discharged from the rehabilitation center where he was recovering from a serious fall ... and he says he's going to continue his recovery from home.
McConnell released a statement Thursday saying ... "Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home."
He continues ... "Elaineand I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I've received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff."
The senator concludes his updates ... "On the advice of my doctors, I'll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I'll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business."
McConnell's press release did not include a photo of him ... unlike previous health updates -- so that's not going to do much in stopping the relentless conspiracies about his health.
As you know ... the Kentucky senator was in the hospital for 53 days ... and with only a pair of proof of life snaps ... the jokes and skepticism became a whirlwind.
One thing's for sure ... that first video of McConnell out and about will be studied like the freaking Zapruder film.
WGN is apologizing for airing a meme of Kyle Shanahan as Mitch McConnell during a news segment on the NFL head coach's recovery from a recent car crash ... telling TMZ the epic screwup was NOT malicious.
The station tells TMZ ... "On Wednesday's 'WGN Morning News Show' sports segment, we mistakenly aired a photo of Kyle Shanahan, coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The photo was an internet meme and not authentic, and we apologize for making the error. It was not intentional."
This is beyond embarrassing.
WGN Morning News in Chicago aired a completely doctored photo of #49ers HC Kyle Shanahan with Mitch McConnell’s wife… on LIVE TV.
How does something this obviously fake make it through producers, editors, and onto the air? 😬
Mitch McConnell conspiracy theorists are off to the races again ... because his wife's outfit in the second proof-of-life snap looks awfully similar to the one she wore during a prior visit.
Elaine Chao wore a shirt-pants combo during a visit to see the Kentucky Senator in a rehab center on July 14 ... and she appears to be wearing the same outfit in the proof-of-life photo his office says was taken on July 26 ... 12 days after photogs snapped her.
The detail went mostly unnoticed ... until now ... and conspiracy theorists are more convinced than ever that McConnell is not as well as his office claims.
There has also been chatter that the shirt Elaine is wearing appears to be the same as one sold at Chico's -- which some think the former United States Secretary of Labor would never wear.
Mitch McConnell dropped his second proof-of-life photo Monday, and his doctor put out a statement about the Senator's health ... but when a photog asked the doc about McConnell, he feigned ignorance.
Dr. Brian Monahan, attending physician of the U.S. Congress and Supreme Court, had just gotten his lunch on Monday when a photog peppered him with questions about McConnell ... and the doc refused to say anything of substance.
Dr. Monahan claimed he had "no information" about McConnell ... even though his office put out a long statement Monday discussing McConnell's slow recovery from a June fall at his home.
The doc didn't know much more about his Subway sandwich -- he had no clue what kind of cold cuts he was being served -- and the photog rightfully gave him grief about his fast food choice.
Mitch McConnell just dropped another picture as proof of life ... along with an update on his health recovery ... and if history is any indication, there is no way in hell the internet is going to take this at face value.
In a written statement released Monday, the Senator from Kentucky says ... "I'm still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors' orders."
McConnell's statement also says he won't be able to attend an annual festival in Kentucky this upcoming Saturday and adds ... "As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I'm looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon."
The press release also included a photo of Mitch sitting in a geriatric chair next to his wife, Elaine Chao, presumably in the rehab center where he's been recovering.
Rep. Ilhan Omar says she's not convinced Senator Mitch McConnell is doing well despite the recent proof of life photo released by his office ... questioning why we haven't heard McConnell speak yet.
Our TMZ DC team caught up with the Congresswoman from Minnesota on Wednesday ... and we asked about her the online theory that photo showing him a rehab facility with his wife is doctored.
Rep. Omar says it looks like A.I. to her ... adding she has read some compelling arguments online which back up the claim, and she's personally hung up on why we haven't seen McConnell on video.
As internet sleuths dissect Mitch McConnell's proof-of-life photo, his wife Elaine Chao surfaced in the flesh ... leaving the rehabilitation center where the Senator is recovering ... we've got a photo ... and it's authentic.
The former U.S. Secretary of Labor was spotted Tuesday making a low-key exit from the rehab facility where the longtime Kentucky Senator is recovering after suffering a fall last month. It's the first time Chao has been seen in public since McConnell was hospitalized -- aside from the now-infamous photo that sent social media into overdrive.
Chao kept things understated, wearing a face mask and keeping her head down as she left the medical center and climbed into a waiting vehicle.
Mitch McConnell's proof of life photo isn't putting speculation about his health to bed ... it's keeping it on life support.
Kara Swisherand Scott Gallowayare the latest high-profile voices to scrutenize the McConnell photo, with Scott flat-out saying, "I think it's fake." Kara calls the photo "sus" and argues officials should "just wheel the old man out."
The pair tackled the controversy on their "Pivot" podcast ... with Scott admitting he's "part of the tinfoil" crowd before doubling down and saying he believes the photo isn't authentic.
Rep. Thomas Massie says his "prison sentence" -- i.e., serving in the House of Reps -- has been commuted (he's been voted out), and he has no interested in changing prison cells by becoming a senator.
The Kentucky Congressman was upbeat Monday with Charlie, who asked him if he would consider running for Senator Mitch McConnell's seat if he resigns. Massie was pretty clear -- not interested, taking a shot at geriatric senators who belong in nursing homes.
Charlie was also interested in Massie's glow up ... a cool beard, a suitable suit, etc. Massie is quick to attribute his fresh look to the women in his life.
One small gripe -- Massie thinks just because Charlie is Australian, he's into a certain steakhouse. That's a bloomin' stereotype!
Mitch McConnell's proof of life photo was supposed to silence the internet ... instead, it poured gasoline on the fire ... and lots of folks still aren't buying it.
After weeks of wild rumors claiming the longtime Senator was brain-dead, secretly dead, or otherwise being hidden from the public ... and an image his office released Sunday meant to reassure everyone McConnell was fine instead sparked a fresh conspiracy all its own -- with countless people insisting it was either A.I.-generated, photoshopped or recycled from years ago.
Internet sleuths are pointing out all sorts of strange things going on in the image, particularly around McConnell's hand holding the Sunday sports page of the Washington Post.
