Department of Justice, Federal Government, Federalist Society, Health Care / Medicine, Michael Mukasey

Breaking: Attorney General Mukasey Collapses at Federalist Society Dinner

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ATL correspondent Laurie Lin, on the scene at the annual dinner of the Federalist Society, reports that Attorney General Michael Mukasey “literally collapsed mid-sentence at the podium,” while delivering a speech at the Society’s National Lawyers Convention. It is not clear what AG Mukasey suffered, but a stroke is possible.

“Medical people are working on him now as he lies on the dais,” according to Lin. “Secret Service FBI says no one can get up. Entire hall is shocked and silent.”

Update (10:38 PM): “They appear to have an IV in. They have taken him out. Now people are praying…. Everyone is saying it looked like a stroke. People are very somber. Some people from the DOJ are visibly shaken.”

Update (10:47 PM): According to radio reports, Mukasey did not immediately regain consciousness after collapsing, and was taken to an area hospital. More from Politico over here.

Update (11:03 PM): According to a different source, Mukasey had regained consciousness by the time he was taken out of the room.

Update (11:06 PM): People are now being allowed to leave the room. From Laurie Lin: “The party ended abruptly, needless to say. The tone of the man [perhaps David McIntosh] who prayed after they took out the AG seemed pretty grim. He asked for prayers for Mukasey’s wife, who was there according to the program, and the Mukasey family.”

More updates after the jump.

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Update (11:16 PM): From the AP story:

The 67-year-old Mukasey was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where his condition was not immediately known. Mukasey was delivering a speech to the Federalist Society at a Washington hotel when “he just started shaking and he collapsed,” said Associate Attorney General Kevin O’Connor. “They’re very concerned.”

Mukasey was 15 to 20 minutes into his speech about the Bush administration’s successes in combatting terrorism when he began slurring his words. He collapsed and lost consciousness, said O’Connor, the department’s No. 3 official.

Mukasey’s was noticeably shaking during his speech before he collapsed shortly before 10:20 p.m. EST. His security detail called 911. Mukasey was on the stage for 10 minutes being attended to by his FBI detail before medics arrived.

Update (12:08 AM): Here is a short video clip (via the ABA Journal):

Update (12:21 AM): Some good news about AG Mukasey, from Reuters:

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U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey is “conscious, conversant and alert” at a local Washington hospital after collapsing while delivering a speech at a hotel, the U.S. Justice Department said late on Tuesday.

“His vital statistics are strong and he is in good spirits,” department spokesman Peter Carr said in a statement. “The doctors will keep him overnight for further observations.”

We will keep you posted. Please keep AG Mukasey and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Update (11/21/08, 10 AM): The AG is OK. The latest news: “The AG is fine and will be released from the hospital later today. No word yet on what the diagnosis was. He will be taking a few days off.”

Update (11/21/08, 1:30 PM): The AG is more than OK. In fact, he’s already back in the office.

Attorney General Mukasey collapses during speech [AP]

Attorney General Collapses During Speech [New York Times]

Attorney general collapses [Politico]

Remarks Prepared for Delivery by Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Federalist Society [MarketWatch]

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