Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was hospitalized Wednesday after tripping at a Washington, D.C. hotel. He has served in the Senate for nearly four decades, and is the chamber's longest-serving party leader in U.S. history. McConnell is currently receiving treatment in the hospital, though his spokesperson did not provide a timeline for his return.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday evening after tripping at a local hotel during a private dinner. This is not the first time McConnell has suffered a fall, as he fractured his shoulder in 2019. His hospitalization comes at a time when the Senate is in the midst of a heated debate over President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan.
On Tuesday, a data breach at the Washington, D.C. health insurance marketplace potentially exposed the personal identifiable information (PII) of hundreds of lawmakers and staff. House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine L. Szpindor informed recipients of the breach in an internal memo and warned them that their data may have been compromised. The FBI is currently investigating the breach and the House is providing additional security measures to protect the data of its members and staff.
On Wednesday, the Senate passed a resolution to roll back a controversial criminal code overhaul in Washington, D.C. with a 51-49 majority, including 33 Democrats. This has divided the Democratic Party, who have previously supported D.C. statehood, and sparked debate over the role of Congress in local affairs. The resolution will now go to President Joe Biden, who has said he intends to sign it into law, and its effects on the district's criminal justice system remain to be seen.
At a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Avril Haines and Christopher Wray discussed the risks posed by China, including the potential for the Chinese government to use TikTok to control data and shape public opinion in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Haines noted that Beijing still believes it benefits from a more stable relationship with the U.S., despite recent tensions.
Senate Republicans have pushed back against Fox News' portrayal of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol as "mostly peaceful," with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell holding up a letter from the head of the Capitol Police to demonstrate that the security footage shown on the show "Tucker Carlson Tonight" was selectively chosen and did not accurately reflect the violence that occurred. Other Senate Republicans have also argued that the attack was a serious threat to the safety of those in the Capitol and that it should not be downplayed.
Conexon Hyde, a prominent Beltway lawyer and member of the 9/11 Commission, died on Monday after the business jet she was aboard encountered turbulence while flying over New England. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, which includes looking into a “reported trim issue”, and the FBI and FAA are also involved. The cause of the turbulence is still unknown.
A federal judge in Washington has issued bench warrants for the arrest of two defendants in the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot case, Olivia Pollock and Joseph Hutchinson III, after they were found to have tampered with or removed their ankle monitors. The FBI is now searching for Pollock and offering a reward for information leading to their arrest, and District Judge Carl Nichols has ruled that the trial will proceed with two of Pollock’s codefendants and she will be tried separately.