Consultants for missing Republican lawmaker attack reporters asking questions

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) entered his tenth week of a mystery illness last week and as questions persist, his political consultants have turned to a new strategy: attack people for asking about him.

CNN's KFILE reporter, Andrew Kaczynski, retweeted a comment about some emails and press releases coming from Kean's congressional office that appear to be from the lawmaker himself.

Kean announced the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District, which accepts submissions from kids in the congressional district and displays them at the U.S. Capitol.

“I look forward to seeing Kaylie’s painting exhibited in the Capitol in the coming months and to displaying Vivien’s and Mia’s work in my congressional offices,” Kean said in a press release. The problem is that Kean hasn't been at the Capitol in over ten weeks.

"Creepy and weird to send out first person newsletters when your missing and possibly incapacitated (?) and staff won't tell your constituents what's going on," wrote Kaczynski on X.

Kean campaign consultant Harrison Neely went on the attack in an X post responding to Kaczynski, "This is a rich charge coming from a 'journalist' who has called the Congressman’s daughter and family members of staff. Creepy."

"Consultants for Tom Kean are now attacking reporters for inquiring about his whereabouts," Kaczynski said, reposting the X comment.

Last week, Kean's father appeared on CNN, trying to help soften the mounting questions.

“He’s hopefully coming back soon and he’s under the care of a doctor,” Kean Sr. emphasized his son had been seen by many doctors. “They all agree he’s going to be fine. He’s under a doctor’s care.”

“It took a real illness to knock him out,” Kean Sr. added. “This won’t linger. It’s not some kind of disease that’s going to incapacitate him in the future. The consensus is that he will be 100 percent OK.”

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