Mystery grows over missing GOP rep after neighbors say they’ve barely seen his wife, report says

The mystery of Representative Tom Kean Jr.’s months-long absence from Congress has deepened, after a new report revealed his neighbors have barely seen his wife either.

The Republican, who represents New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, hasn’t cast a vote since March 5, and his ongoing absence has sparked concern in Washington, D.C. Kean said last month he’s facing a “personal medical issue,” but few other details have been provided.

Kean’s neighbors in Westfield, New Jersey, told NOTUS there hasn’t been much activity around the congressman’s home in recent weeks. They also haven’t seen much of his wife, Rhonda Kean, according to the outlet.

NOTUS reporter Jose Pagliery did spot Kean’s wife outside her home Tuesday, but she told him “no comment” when he asked about her husband.

The Independent has contacted Kean’s office for comment.

Kean, who is also running for reelection this year, released a statement on April 27 explaining his absence. He cited a “personal medical issue” and said he’d be back to his congressional duties “very soon.”

“I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult. I am especially proud of my Congressional team, who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward without interruption, and my political team for ensuring the campaign continues to run strong,” he said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday he doesn’t know the details of Kean’s situation and reiterated he’s expected back in Washington “soon.”

“I talked to Tom — it's been a few weeks ago now — on the phone, and he sounded good and optimistic and we're expecting him back here soon,” Johnson said.

“He's had a medical issue and he's gonna be fully transparent and disclose all that, that’s what he told me. But I don't even know the details,” he added.

Harrison Neely, a consultant working with the congressman’s political team, said Kean is facing a “personal medical situation and is under the care of doctors,” according to NOTUS.

“The expectation is that he is going to be 100% and totally healthy. The timeline for that looks very good,” he told the outlet.

Others close to Kean have confirmed he’s expected to recover, including his father, who told CNN last week he’s “hopefully coming back soon.”

“It took a real illness to knock him out. 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,” he said.

Dan Scharfenberger, the congressman’s chief of staff, also told The New York Times last week, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”

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