The state AFL-CIO has the hounds tracking 'Missing in Action' Mitch

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

Mitch McConnell's bloodhounds are back, but this time they're going after him in a brand-new Kentucky State AFL-CIO video called "Missing In Action."

The video debuted Monday in Louisville via a digital billboard truck that cruised Falls City streets, including a drive-by at the federal building, which houses the majority leader's hometown office. 

"It was 1984, and Mitch McConnell was trying to unseat incumbent Dee Huddleston for U.S. Senate when McConnell ran his infamous 'Bloodhounds' ad," explained Bill Londrigan, Kentucky State AFL-CIO president. "In the ad, McConnell’s bloodhounds were shown searching high and low for his opponent."

Liles Taylor, state AFL-CIO political coordinator, provided the voiceover for the video, which uses footage from the original McConnell TV ad.

"The U.S. Senate adjourned for their August recess in the midst of a global pandemic, with millions of Americans out of work, millions more sick, and more than 180,000 dying prematurely, and ole 'Missing In Action' Mitch is nowhere to be found," Londrigan said.

"So these hounds are on the search to find the Senate Majority Leader and get him back to work. Rather than working to pass legislation that would help Kentucky’s working men and women and their families, McConnell sent the U.S. Senate on a three-week vacation."

Added Londrigan: "After failing to even negotiate over the HEROES Act for more than three months, Mitch adjourned the senate without even having a vote for the extension of the $600 Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefits, considering assistance for struggling state and local governments, health care for those in need, or support for the U.S. Postal Service."

Londrigan said "ole 'Missing In Action' Mitch was not even involved in the negotiations over the provisions of the HEROES Act. He was on the sidelines and had only one thing on his mind – COVID-19 liability protection for his corporate enablers."

Concluded Londrigan: “McConnell’s unwillingness to even consider passing the HEROES Act and maintaining the pandemic unemployment insurance benefits represents an epic failure of leadership and should demonstrate to Kentucky’s working families ‘Missing In Action’ Mitch’s utter disregard for the dire circumstances so many in Kentucky and across our nation are facing. If ‘Missing In Action’ Mitch cared one bit about the people of Kentucky, he would be back in Washington doing his job – not on vacation or trying to raise more campaign cash.” 

Click here to see the video and hear from laid-off workers.