New York Rep. Bill Pascrell speaks at a media event with House Democratic colleagues at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, calling on Republicans to approve an extension of unemployment insurance.
Bill Clark | Chongqing Roll Call Company | Getty Images
Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell, whose career has been rocky New Jersey His political career spanned four decades, and in his later years he became known for his biting satire on politics. Donald Trumpdied Wednesday, according to a person statement on his official X account.
He is 87 years old.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Bill Pascrell Jr., passed away this morning,” the statement read. “The work he cherished and the people he loved people. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He now rests in peace after a life of dedicated service to our great country, America.
The 14-term congressman was hospitalized for nearly a month this summer with a respiratory illness and fever. He was discharged to a rehabilitation center on August 7, but just four days later he was readmitted to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey.
The energetic octogenarian is the second-oldest member of the House, behind retiring Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif. The oldest member of Congress is Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who turns 91 on September 17.
Pascrell is the second New Jersey congressman to die this year. Democratic colleagues donald payne jr. On April 24, he died of heart disease due to complications from diabetes at the age of 65.
Pascrell ran for re-election to the 9th District seat in November.
Because the vacancy occurred before the Aug. 27 deadline — 70 days before the general election — county party leaders will have until Aug. 29 to handpick a new Democratic nominee under state election law.
Pascrell has been seeking re-election to a 15th term and is the favorite to run against Republican Billy Prempeh, his opponent in the past two elections. In 2022, Pascrell defeated Premp in the dark blue 9th Congressional District by more than double digits, 55% to 43%; in 2020, Joe Biden defeated Trump in this area by 19 points percentage point.
New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell speaks with reporters during a House Democratic Caucus meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.
Tom Williams | Chongqing Roll Call Company | Getty Images
William James Pascrell Jr., the grandson of Italian immigrants, was born on January 25, 1937 in Paterson, New Jersey’s third largest city, and was later elected mayor of the city. He served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves and was honorably discharged in 1967.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in philosophy from Fordham University, Pascrell taught high school history and served as an adjunct professor.
He entered politics through local school boards in the late 1970s: first as chairman of the Paterson Board of Education and then as a member of the Passaic County Community College Board of Trustees.
In 1987, Pascrell won election to the New Jersey State Assembly. practice – until he was elected to Congress in 1996.
In Washington, Pascrell served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Homeland Security Committee, Budget Committee and Small Business Committee. He has been a member of the powerful Tax Ways and Means Committee since 2007 and leads the Fighting to get Trump’s personal tax returns.
During his time in Congress, Pascrell has worked to restore the full deduction for state and local taxes (SALT), which would benefit New Jersey voters. Development of clean energy projects such as offshore wind; and raising awareness of traumatic brain injuries, especially among soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the younger generation got to know Pascrell through his works A vitriolic, unabashedly partisan attack on Trump — via the then-president’s favorite method of communication: Twitter, now known as X.
After Trump’s now-infamous ‘bastard country’ comments, Pascrell Tweet Trump “made a fool of himself” on the world stage and “exhibited his bigoted tendencies in a way that would make Archie Bunker blush.”
Later, he lashed out at Trump and “his soulless thugs.”Countless dead Americans“About their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell attends the House Ways and Means Committee’s “IRS Whistleblower Hearing: Hunter Biden Used Their Own It is said to hinder the investigation.”
Bill Clark | Chongqing Roll Call Company | Getty Images
Recently, Pascrell Post on X Daily: “Good morning. Republican Donald Trump is a convicted criminal” with a photo of Trump and the word “FELON.”
May 12, Pascrell Tweeted dire warning On the possibility of Trump being re-elected as president.
“Numerous news reports and comments from Donald Trump himself indicate that Trump is planning to impose a dictatorship and use army If he is in power again, he will turn on his critics,” he tweeted next to a tank bearing Trump stickers and trampling the American flag. “I will release this message repeatedly so that no one can say they were not informed.
