Faced with the situation that one of their on-air personalities is just blatantly lying (instead of his usual casual lying), CNN has released a statement that sees them distancing themselves from Scott Jennings.
Source: Daily Beast
CNN says that it does not consider Scott Jennings’ widely criticized claims about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health condition to be “CNN reporting.”
A network spokesperson told the Daily Beast that Jennings, who is among the GOP insiders who claim to have spoken to McConnell this week, “is not a full-time employee or journalist” at CNN and that his reporting “reflects his experience” and does not represent the network.
“As a CNN Political Commentator, Scott Jennings is not a full-time employee or journalist for the network,” the spokesperson told the Beast. “His account of a personal conversation with Senator McConnell reflects his experience and is not CNN reporting.”
CNN has covered the McConnell health saga extensively, including being the first network to publish footage of the senator being loaded into an ambulance. It has not presented Jennings’ reporting as its own on the air or in digital articles, but has provided him a platform to make claims about McConnell’s health.
On Thursday, Jennings was on with Jake Tapper, saying he was told that McConnell was preparing to get back to work. Tapper didn't ask about that, but did ask why they haven't released a video of McConnell yet. Jennings repeated his claims to Kasie Hunt on Friday that he had spoken to McConnell and that the ambulance video and the paramedics' lack of urgency weren't a big deal.
If it turns out Mitch McConnell was dead, in a coma, brain-dead or otherwise incommunicado on the day an analyst for CNN, Scott Jennings, claimed on national TV that McConnell was making calls and discussing issues of the day with colleagues, CNN must fire Jennings *immediately*. pic.twitter.com/BFBEOgnGJn
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) July 11, 2026
Even MAGA people are noticing something smells fishy.
CNN has issued a statement to the Daily Beast regarding Scott Jennings' alleged 20-minute chat with Sen. Mitch McConnell.
"As a CNN Political Commentator, Scott Jennings is not a full-time employee or journalist for the network. His account of a personal conversation with…— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) July 11, 2026
BREAKING: CNN hurls MAGA pundit Scott Jennings under the bus by announcing that they do NOT endorse his claim that Mitch McConnell is alive and making phone calls.
Things are getting VERY fishy, very fast...
“As a CNN Political Commentator, Scott Jennings is not a full-time… pic.twitter.com/n3fMntv6YA— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) July 10, 2026
