It seems to me that Rep Thomas has some heavy personal issues, and I'm not making light of it. As such, the man needs to take a leave of absence to sort this out.
If ANYONE lost a child through suicide and went to work seven days after the suicide and one day after burial, I'd seriously question their ability to think clearly and/or not "act out" via work matters.
Except in his case, he wasn't thinking clearly before the suicide.
That explains why on the day they began the counting of electoral votes someone offered him sympathy but I didn’t know any details of WHY...
Boy - he sure had his priorities in order, didn’t he? Loses his son to suicide and is back at work 6 days later????? Making a point to counteract any objections from Republicans to the count, he put aside all thought of family. What a guy. Always did come off as a - well, a democrat - in any hearing.
With the worldview he crammed into his son’s head, I’d opine the eventual suicide was predictable by any normally-adjusted person watching the trend line.
A healthy dose of, “Other perfectly normal people legitimately think differently basis how their priorities and values suffer from yours,” coming from Pop would have been remedial. Sadly, he’s not got that wisdom in him in the first place, so couldn’t pass it along to save his son’s life.
Kid x-ed hiself out under a pall of parentally-originated doom.
[SERIOUS NOTE: THIS BLADE CUTS BOTH WAYS.
CAREFUL WHAT YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS. ]