Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ), who has missed over 135 roll call votes since March 5, has disclosed when he will return to Congress.

“Congressman Kean is eager to return to in-person work on June 30 and resume a full schedule,” his political advisor told the New York Post.

More from the New York Post:

The Garden State Republican’s team told reporters that he was “dealing with a personal health matter” and “focused on his recovery” during his time away from the House.

To date, it’s still not clear exactly what health situation kept him away from Congress for just under four months.

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Kean represents one of the most competitive districts in the country and did not make an appearance when he won the Republican nomination for his uncontested reelection.

The congressman is facing a bruising battle against Democrat Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th district this cycle.

At times, some of Kean’s colleagues didn’t know what was going on with him.

“Missing Rep. Tom Kean (R-N.J.) signed off on another ‘gift travel’ trip by his congressional office chief of staff, according to a House ethics filing reviewed by @NOTUSreports,” NOTUS investigative journalist Dave Levinthal commented.

“Kean signed the document on April 29, midway through his unexplained 100+ day absence from Congress,” he added.

NOTUS explained further:

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. appears to have taken at least two official actions during his weekslong and largely unexplained absence from Congress — both to the benefit of his staff, according to U.S. House records reviewed by NOTUS.

Despite not casting a vote since early March, the New Jersey Republican signed a pair of congressional “gift travel” disclosures affirming that his chief of staff, Dan Scharfenberger, was authorized to take trips paid for by special interest groups.

The first disclosure, which Kean signed on March 14, stated that Scharfenberger’s trip to an event in Las Vegas funded by the Republican Main Street Partnership “was in connection with the employee’s official duties and would not create the appearance that the employee is using public office for private gain.”

On April 13, Kean signed the second disclosure, which involved a trip by Scharfenberger to Middleburg, Virginia, for a “spring issues conference” sponsored by bipartisan policy organization Center Forward.

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Kean’s congressional office acknowledged NOTUS’ request for comment, but neither Scharfenberger or other staffers otherwise returned phone and email messages Thursday. Among the questions NOTUS asked: whether Kean had hand-signed the documents or whether someone else signed or affixed Kean’s signature on his behalf.

Scharfenberger has publicly praised Kean during his absence in ways that suggest Kean is not actually absent at all.

 

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