Looking to protect U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-7) in the battleground 7th District, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) feels emboldened by the prospect of facing the establishment GOP candidate in these extraordinarily tense times.

Notoriously timid during the Trump era and only able to give a tepid statement in the aftermath of a Trump-signaled mob’s Jan. 6th, 2021 desecration of the Capitol, Tom Kean, Jr. has a habit of going dark the tougher the task or times, and knowing that, the DCCC upbraided him publicly.

From their release this afternoon:

“Tom Kean Jr. has been hiding from reporters and voters his entire career – famously in an elevator. 

“Just this month, he refused multiple times to say January 6th was not “legitimate political discourse.”

“Now, after the leader of his political party called Vladimir Putin a “genius” and “smart,” Kean Jr. remains silent. 

“So have his rivals Phil Rizzo and Assemblyman Erik Peterson. 

“Trump is cheering on authoritarianism, why won’t they stand against that?”

The congressional candidate did furnish this tweet last week:

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens global stability and continues a policy of expansionism by Putin. It is clear past sanctions have done nothing to deter Putin’s aggression. Now is not the time for a piecemeal response. The President, along with our allies, must enact crippling economic sanctions immediately. We stand with the people of Ukraine and their right to sovereignty. Now is a time for strength and strategic action to hold Russia accountable for this act of war.”

The DCCC wasn’t impressed.

From DCCC spokesperson James Singer:

“This GOP field is bought and paid for by the far right of the Republican Party. If they can’t speak out against the storming of our Capitol or praise for Vladimir Putin, they’ll never stand for anything.”