The Weekend at Bernie’s joke, propping up a dead man while everyone plays along, has moved from Democratic Party headquarters to Capitol Hill.Lawmakers from both parties treat their seats like paid vacation, available to skip while taxpayers cover the tab and the public’s business sits unfinished.Rep. Frederica Wilson, the 83-year-old Florida Democrat from the 24th District, hadn’t cast a House vote since April 17, running up more than 40 straight missed roll calls. Her office gave no public explanation for nearly four weeks, until House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) confirmed she’d had major eye surgery and expected her to return shortly. The disclosure came only after the story went national. During her silence, her social media team recycled photographs from October and posted them as current events. Stagecraft, not service.
Across the aisle, Rep. Tom Kean Jr., the 57-year-old New Jersey Republican, hasn’t voted since March 5, more than 80 missed roll calls, including legislation to end the 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. His staff cites a personal health matter. Two months on, that remains the entirety of the public accounting. His district is considered a toss-up; four Democrats are competing for his seat, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is managing a majority thin enough that Kean’s absence alone can flip a party-line vote.
