Wisconsin GOP senator suggests brain tumor affected McCain's health care vote

The Associated Press
August 9, 2017 at 5:48PM
Sen. John McCain, center, appeared with Sen. Ron Johnson, right, at a press conference about the health insurance legislation on July 27.
Sen. John McCain, center, appeared with Sen. Ron Johnson, right, at a press conference about the health insurance legislation on July 27. Sen. Lindsey Graham is at left. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

WASHINGTON — Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson has suggested fellow Republican Sen. John McCain's brain tumor and the after-midnight timing of the vote were factors in McCain's decisive vote against the GOP health care bill.

Johnson's comments in a radio interview Tuesday with AM560 "Chicago's Morning Answer" drew a response from McCain spokeswoman Julie Tarallo. She said, "it is bizarre and deeply unfortunate that Senator Johnson would question the judgment of a colleague and friend."

McCain said he voted against the bill last month because it fell short of the Republican promise to repeal and replace Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act with meaningful reform.

Johnson said in the interview McCain had "a brain tumor right now. That vote occurred at 1:30 in the morning. Some of that might have factored in."

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