肯塔基州州长安迪・贝希尔于周一表态，要求联邦参议员米奇・麦康奈尔要么面向肯塔基民众亲自发声，证明自己仍有能力履行参议员职责，要么辞去国会议员职务。
美国广播公司(ABC 新闻)获取的信件副本显示，民主党籍州长贝希尔在写给这位共和党参议员的信函中写道：“在你缺席履职期间，美国正发生诸多重大事件。”
麦康奈尔办公室通报，麦康奈尔自 6 月 14 日起入院治疗。办公室 7 月 12 日称，这名 84 岁参议员此前摔倒并短暂失去意识，目前正在康复;他同时患上轻度肺炎。
贝希尔写道：“唐纳德・特朗普总统深陷一手造成的争端，并且大幅壮大了他口中所谓构成威胁的国家。物价持续上涨，辛勤劳作的美国人举步维艰、难以改善生活。最高法院不断压缩民众投票权，国会相关举措也持续威胁选举权。而你身处缺位状态，始终拒绝清晰、直接地向选民作出说明。”
他补充道：“作为你所代表州的州长，我要求你直接面向肯塔基民众公开发声，拿出能够履职的证明;如若不能，请选择辞职。”
ABC 新闻已联系麦康奈尔办公室寻求置评，暂未得到回应。
就在贝希尔致信当天，麦康奈尔办公室率先发布声明。麦康奈尔在声明中表示，为持续康复治疗，他将缺席一场即将举办的肯塔基州政治活动。
麦康奈尔称：“遵照医嘱，我仍在坚持高强度康复理疗，努力恢复，争取重回参议院与肯塔基州的完整工作日程。” 麦康奈尔办公室同时配发一张他与妻子赵小兰的最新合影，照片拍摄时间为 7 月 26 日周日。
贝希尔周一还另致一封信给参议院多数党领袖约翰・图恩，要求图恩调查麦康奈尔的身体状况;倘若麦康奈尔无法证明自身具备履职能力，则启动程序，考虑将其逐出参议院。
贝希尔在给图恩的信中写道：“经查阅相关规则，参议员席位出现空缺仅存在三种情形：议员离世、主动辞职，或是经由参议院投票驱逐。如果麦康奈尔参议员不愿主动证明自己能够继续履职，我要求你作为参议院多数党领袖，全面调查其健康状况、向公众通报情况，确有必要时启动驱逐程序。”
需要说明的是，身为州长的贝希尔无权直接干预麦康奈尔在参议院的任职资格。一旦该参议员席位出现空缺，贝希尔大概率需要组织特别选举补选议员。 肯塔基州议会此前已经立法，剥夺州长直接任命临时参议员接替空缺席位的权力。
Kentucky governor calls on McConnell to 'verbally address' Kentuckians or resign
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on Monday for Sen. Mitch McConnell to either "verbally" show proof to Kentuckians that he can still serve in the Senate or to resign from Congress.
"Important events are happening in our country right now during your absence," Beshear, a Democrat, wrote in a letter to the Republican senator, according to a copy obtained by ABC News.
McConnell has been hospitalized since June 14, according to his office, which said onJuly 12that the 84-year-old senator was recovering from a fall that left him briefly unconscious. He also had to deal with a "mild case of pneumonia," his office said.
"President [Donald] Trump is stuck in a war of his own making and has greatly strengthened the very country he claims is a threat," Beshear wrote. "Prices continue to rise, crushing Americans who are working hard but not getting ahead. Americans' voting rights are being eliminated by the Supreme Court and threatened by congressional action. All while you are absent and refuse to communicate clearly and directly to the people you serve."
"As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign," he added.
ABC News reached out to McConnell's office for comment, but didn't immediately receive a response.
The letter followeda statementissued on Monday by McConnell's office, in which the senator said he would miss an upcoming Kentucky political event in order to continue his rehabilitation.
"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 said in the statement.
McConnell's office also included a new image of the senator and his wife, Elaine Chao, that it said was taken on Sunday, July 26.
Beshear on Monday also sent a separate letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, calling on Thune to investigate McConnell’s condition and, if McConnell does not show he can continue serving in the Senate, to begin the process of potentially expelling McConnell from the chamber.
"Per our research, a vacancy in the Senate occurs when a senator dies, resigns, or is expelled by a vote of the Senate itself," Beshear wrote in the letter to Thune. "If Senator McConnell is unwilling to voluntarily show that he still has the capacity to serve, I will insist that you as the Majority Leader of the Senate fully investigate his condition, report to the American people, and begin the process if warranted."
Beshear as governor does not have the authority to alter McConnell’s standing in the Senate. If McConnell’s seat were to become vacant, Beshear would likely have to set up a special election to fill it.
Kentucky lawmakers previously passed legislation that blocked the governor from having the ability to appoint a temporary replacement.
