‘Nobody’s Buying This!’ TMZ Joins Critics Casting Doubt on Mitch McConnell Photo

J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo

TMZ added fuel to the fire Monday when it joined the ongoing speculation surrounding around the latest update on Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

McConnell’s health has been the subject of debate in recent weeks due to a recent lengthy stay in the hospital. At the time of writing, the Kentucky senator had not been seen in weeks.

This had led to growing concerns about McConnell’s health, with some even speculating that he was secretly already dead. Conservative firebrand and Trump ally Laura Loomer, citing a “White House source,” claimed McConnell was on life support and had been declared brain dead.

On Sunday, McConnell addressed the rumors when he released a photo and a statement. In the photo, he could be seen sitting in a hospital bed with his wife Elaine Chao. He detailed the timeline of his stay at the hospital and also revealed he’d been dealing with a bout of pneumonia.

“I’ll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible,” the senator said. “And I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my recovery. Until then, I’m so grateful for your prayers and well wishes.”

On Monday, TMZ’s Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere announced they’d join the discussion in an upcoming episode of TMZ Live. The pair said in a video posted online:

LEVIN: On the next TMZ Live, Mitch McConnell’s people saying he is alive and well-ish at a rehab facility.

LATIBEAUDIERE: But nobody’s buying this proof-of-life photo.

During their spirited discussion on the show, Levin argued that it was suspicious for someone in McConnell’s “feeble” condition to wear a buttoned down shirt — calling it “weird. He also explained why he believed McConnell’s health scare was a pivotal “moment” in American politics.

“The real point here is that when you look at what’s going on in Congress,” Levin said, “this is a moment where, all of a sudden, Lindsey Graham dies over the weekend. You’ve got Mitch McConnell infirmed like this, and it really affects the Senate! It affects the House when somebody is MIA for four months and doesn’t say why!”

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