Sunday, June 14, 2026
Vol. VIII
Est. 2019

The Mind Shield

News Ā· Opinion Ā· Politics Ā· Analysis

Rand Paul questions Capitol physician’s diagnosis of Mitch McConnell: “Clearly not accurate”

Rand Paul questions Capitol physician’s diagnosis of Mitch McConnell: “Clearly not accurate”
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is not buying Capitol attending physician Brian Monahan’s explanation of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell’s recent freeze-ups.

McConnell froze at a press conference in the Capitol in July and while answering reporters’ questions in Covington, Kentucky last week.  

On both occasions, McConnell’s staff claimed he felt ā€œlightheadedā€. Monahan said in a letter last week that lightheadedness ā€œis not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.ā€ McConnell was hospitalized in March after he fell during a dinner and suffered a concussion and a fractured rib.

In a letter Tuesday, the Capitol physician told McConnell that after running several medical tests, including an EEG, and consulting with neurologists, he found ā€œthere is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.ā€

But, Paul told The Hill Wednesday that Monahan’s findings are “clearly not accurate” and ā€œmost Americansā€ are skeptical of his claims.

ā€œWhen you get dehydrated you don’t have moments where your eyes look in the distance with a vacant look and you’re sort of basically unconscious with your eyes open. That is not a symptom of dehydration,ā€ Paul, an ophthalmologist said.

Paul also questioned Monahan using an EEG to rule out the possibility of McConnell suffering from a seizure disorder.

“A normal EEG doesn’t rule out seizures. First of all, 25 percent of people who’ve had a brain injury end up having seizures after their injury,ā€ he said. ā€œNow if you get an EEG and it’s normal, does that mean he doesn’t have a seizure disorder? No, that means that you didn’t find it because he didn’t have a seizure while he was having the test.ā€

ā€œThe bottom line is, it is a medical mistake to say that someone doesn’t have a seizure disorder because they have a normal EEG,ā€ Paul added.

McConnell, 81, is the longest serving Senate leader in history. Last year, he won a ninth term as the GOP Senate leader by easily defeating Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in a 37-10 vote.