'Creepy and weird': Missing Republican's curiously chipper newsletter draws fire

A consultant for Rep. Tom Kean Jr. — the New Jersey Republican who has been missing from Congress for 74 days — decided Monday that the real scandal isn't his boss's 2 1/2-month disappearance, it's the journalist asking about it.

Kean last cast a vote in the House on March 5 and has since missed 68 votes, been out of the public eye, skipped the campaign trail in one of the most competitive districts in the country, and his office has only offered vague references to a "personal health matter."

Meanwhile, his office has kept blasting out chipper newsletters in the congressman's voice.

The curious situation caught the eye of onlookers on Monday.

Aaron Fritschner, chief of staff to Rep. Don Beyer, called out on X: "Tom Kean's office still sending out constituent newsletters like the guy hasn't vanished off the face of the earth," he wrote.

CNN journalist Andrew Kaczynski echoed the point: "Creepy and weird to send out first-person newsletters when you're missing and possibly incapacitated (?) and staff won't tell your constituents what's going on."

In response, Kean consultant Harrison Neely went after Kaczynski.

"This is a rich charge coming from a 'journalist' who has called the Congressman's daughter and family members of staff," Neely wrote. "Creepy."

Kaczynski shot back: "Consultants for Tom Kean are now attacking reporters for inquiring about his whereabouts."

House Speaker Mike Johnson replied "I don't know" when asked when Kean would return. GOP leadership aides have admitted they "don't have any idea what's going on" with regard to Kean.

Former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr. told CNN his son is "under the care of a doctor" recovering from a "serious but temporary illness" without offering specifics. Kean's chief of staff, asked by the New York Times why the congressman hasn't been seen, reportedly said: "There's no cameras where Tom is."

Democratic challengers aren't letting it slide. "If you were missing work, you would tell your boss," said Michael Roth, one of four Democrats vying to flip the seat in November. "And Tom Kean Jr.'s boss is the people."