Scott Jennings Accused of Lying About McConnell in Fiery On-Air Clash
The unwell senator’s confidant was pressed about conversations he claims to have had with the octogenarian.
Mitch McConnell confidant Scott Jennings was put on the spot Thursday about his alleged phone calls with the ailing senator.
On CNN Newsnight, Caroline Sunshine, a Disney Channel actress-turned-White House spokesperson for Donald Trump in 2018, doubted Jennings’ claims that he had spoken with McConnell a few weeks after his June hospitalization for a fall followed by pneumonia, and again earlier this month.
At the tail end of a contentious panel discussion about the Iran war and what U.S. intelligence agencies are saying about Iran’s nuclear capabilities compared to what Middle East envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are saying, Jennings asked Sunshine, “Do you not believe the president’s son and his envoy?”
Sunshine, 30, resPonded: “I don’t believe you had a phone call with Mitch McConnell, I’ll tell you that. I don’t believe you had a 20-minute phone call with Mitch McConnell, and I don’t think a lot of people do, either.”
Sunshine doubted Jennings' claim that he has spoken with McConnell over the phone.
CNN
Jennings, 48, replied that Sunshine sounded like “a garden-variety conspiracy theorist.”
“How is he?” Sunshine continued. “Have you talked with him lately?”
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“Yeah,” said Jennings.
McConnell has had several health problems in the last few years.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
On Aug. 11, Jennings said on CNN that he had spoken to the 84-year-old senator that day.
McConnell seemed happier to be carrying out his rehab at home, Jennings said, adding that he expected McConnell to rejoin the Senate on Sept. 14 when it returns from break.
“It’s pretty simple. An 84-year-old man who’s at the end of his term had a health issue. He’s recovering from it. He’s trying to get back to work. I expect he will get back to work,” Jennings said.
Jennings also claimed that McConnell acknowledged the “unusual” situation of there being rampant speculation about his condition.
“He told me today, he said it was like, ‘I know this is unusual circumstances. I’m sitting here. The doctors tell me I don’t have any life-threatening issues. It must seem rather strange.’ So yeah, I got the feeling he’s somewhat aware of it, and frankly, somewhat frustrated by it.”
McConnell’s office is led by longtime aide Terry Carmack, who makes $226,000 as the senator’s chief of staff.
Terry Carmack has worked for Mitch McConnell since 2010. He was promoted to chief of staff in 2021.
Billy Suratt/Apex MediaWire/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Earlier this month, an independent journalist tracked down Carmack in the Capitol, but he refused to answer lingering questions about why McConnell hasn’t released a video of himself or called into a show.
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