Mitch McConnell is a highly polarizing figure in American politics. He has been for years. But his handling of matters such as President Trump and the US Supreme Court have intensified things.
Recently, some of his Congressional colleagues have called for him to return to Washington, D.C. from August recess. But after a recent turn of events, it seems he won't be returning in the near future.
He has fractured his shoulder
The Courier-Journal reports that McConnell had an accident on an outdoor patio. He was apparently at his home in Louisville, Kentucky at the time.
As a result of the accident, McConnell has a fractured shoulder. He was taken for medical treatment and has been released. For the time being, he is to conduct his work from home, as per WTKR.
McConnell's involvement in public service began more than 50 years ago. During his 20s, he interned for long-time Senator John Sherman Cooper. He later briefly served in the U.S. Army. His time in the Army was apparently cut short by a diagnosis of optic neuritis. Afterward, he was an aide for Senator Marlow Cook. In 1971, McConnell worked on the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign of Tom Emberton.
Eventually, McConnell worked as a member of President Gerald R. Ford's administration. He was twice elected as the top official of Jefferson County, Kentucky before being elected to the U.S. Senate.
McConnell has been re-elected to the Senate five times since then, picking up influential positions along the way. During two elections, he was chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. On two occasions, he was selected to chair the Senate Rules Committee. He later became majority whip and minority leader. Currently, he's in his third term as majority leader.
Other senators have recently been hurt while away from Washington
It's not the first time in recent years that a senate majority leader has been seriously injured at home. In 2015, just days before giving up his position as majority leader to McConnell, it happened to Harry Reid. Reid was apparently exercising at his house in Nevada when some sort of mishap occurred with a machine.
He broke a number of his ribs and bones in his face. Later, he underwent surgery for a blood clot stemming from his accident.
Reid continued on in the Senate as minority leader until early 2017. He filed a lawsuit against the company that supposedly built the exercise machine. The lawsuit was rejected by a jury in 2019.
It's also not the first time recently that a U.S. senator from Kentucky has been hurt at home. In 2017, Rand Paul was mowing his lawn in Bowling Green, Kentucky when he was assaulted by his neighbor. Five of Paul's ribs were broken. The neighbor pled guilty to assaulting a U.S. Senator, a federal crime. A jury also awarded Paul more than $580,000 over the incident.
