Missing GOP lawmaker slammed for yanking health coverage he himself needed: 'Hypocrisy'

The internet slammed Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) on Tuesday, calling him out for cutting Medicaid and healthcare services — the same ones he needed — after he revealed that he had been battling depression and was hospitalized, disappearing from Congress for nearly four months.

Kean's office had given cryptic explanations while he was gone, citing a "personal medical issue." He missed more than 100 votes and had not cast a vote since March 5.

Critics online were quick to point out Kean's voting record — and how he continued trading stocks while he was away.

"I'm glad he’s doing better, but it's hard to ignore the hypocrisy. Kean took the time he needed to recover after voting for a bill that strips healthcare access and security from over 360,000 of his own constituents last year, then only reversed course on ACA subsidies once the political backlash got too loud. He got the support system his policies and votes deny everyone else," Simone Rossi, strategist and political commentator, wrote on X.

"same guy," journalist Aaron Rupar wrote on X, sharing a screenshot detailing how Kean was scrutinized and "faced severe backlash from healthcare advocates and New Jersey officials for his role in advancing House Republican budget proposals that slashed nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid."

"Tom Kean Jr. was healthy enough to authorize stock transactions up to $190,000 during his nearly 4-month absence from the House. There’s more to this story than he’s saying," Democratic strategist Jon Cooper wrote on X.

"Tom Kean voted to gut Medicaid. You know money to help Americans pay for their healthcare needs like depression. Tom gets great healthcare paid by American taxpayers but then he strips it away from all of us. Aren’t you tired of Republicans getting healthcare while u get nada?" The account Menckim’s Ghost, a frequent progressive commentator, wrote on X.