Ritchie Torres says he sympathizes with New Jersep Rep. Kean’s depression but urges greater transparency

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres (N.Y.) on Tuesday said he sympathizes with Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s (R-N.J.) depression but urged him to be more transparent regarding any long-term absences moving forward.

“As someone who has lived with depression, I have deep sympathy for anyone struggling with mental illness. I might not be alive today were it not for a prolonged hospitalization and proper medication. I know the value of taking a medical leave firsthand,” Torres wrote in a post on X.

“At the same time, public office carries a duty of transparency. When a public official is absent for an extended period, the public has a right to an honest explanation,” he added. 

His remarks come after Kean’s House floor speech, where he addressed the reasoning for his unexpected absence, which caused him to miss 135 votes. 

“When I first informed the public that I was dealing with a medical issue, I was still trying to understand what was happening myself, when I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it,” Kean said on the House floor on Tuesday, explaining that he was hospitalized for........

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