Fiery New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell Passes Away at 87
The congressman's family released a statement highlighting Bill's unwavering commitment, noting that "Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved."
TroibNews 
Bill Pascrell Jr., a prominent New Jersey Democratic Representative known for his assertive attitude, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 87. He was the second-oldest member of the House.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning,” Pascrell’s family shared in a statement on social media. “As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He is now at peace after a lifetime devoted to our great nation America.”
Since July 14, Pascrell had been hospitalized at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Initially, he checked in due to a fever. However, two weeks later, his office reported he experienced a “setback” and required breathing assistance. Although he was discharged, his health deteriorated again, leading him to check into Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey.
Pascrell’s passing marks the second time this year that a sitting New Jersey lawmaker has died in office, following Democratic Rep. Donald Payne Jr.'s death in April following a heart attack. The loss of Pascrell also signifies diminishing seniority and influence for New Jersey in Congress, especially in light of Sen. Bob Menendez's recent departure from the Senate after being convicted of corruption.
An experienced legislator, Pascrell was poised to become the oldest member of the House in 2025 after California Democratic Rep. Grace Napolitano's retirement. He had recently won a primary despite backlash due to his pro-Israel stance amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and was anticipated to successfully face his Republican challenger in November.
Known for his vigorous presence in both New Jersey and Washington, Pascrell was often the go-to voice at press conferences addressing various issues, from tax deductions to impeachment discussions regarding former President Donald Trump.
William James Pascrell Jr. was born on January 25, 1937, in Paterson, New Jersey, a city founded by Alexander Hamilton that faced significant decline during the post-industrial era. Pascrell lived in Paterson for most of his life, having grown up on the city's south side.
A passionate baseball fan, he claimed he had unsuccessfully tried out for the Phillies and played for the Democrats’ congressional baseball team for many years, later becoming its coach. “I would eat a little dirt before every game to try to scare the other team,” he recounted in a 2016 interview revealing a childhood photo of his league. In 2019, he curated an all-time New Jersey baseball team, including famed players like Yogi Berra and Sparky Lyle.
After earning his degree from Fordham University in 1961, he served a year in the Army and five years in the Army Reserve. He became a public high school teacher and led the Paterson Board of Education during the late 1970s and early 1980s before being elected to the state Assembly in 1988.
In 1990, while still in the legislature, Pascrell won the mayoral race in Paterson and served two terms before making the transition to the House, where he unseated incumbent Republican Bill Martini in 1996.
Since then, Pascrell had consistently won reelection, often without significant challenges. However, redistricting in 2012 posed one of his greatest challenges during a contentious primary against fellow Democrat Steve Rothman, a close ally. Pascrell accused Rothman of being opportunistic for challenging him instead of facing a Republican, while Rothman questioned Pascrell’s progressive credentials. Pascrell secured a decisive victory by 22 points.
He maintained robust support in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District, which is primarily located in Bergen and Passaic counties and has strong Jewish and Muslim communities. Following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel's military response in Gaza, Pascrell faced intense criticism from local Arab Americans for his steadfast support of Israel.
Mohamed T. Khairullah, New Jersey's longest-serving Muslim mayor, challenged Pascrell in the June primary due to his opposition to a cease-fire and support for military assistance to Israel. In spite of this backlash, Pascrell won convincingly, claiming 76 percent of the vote, and was highly favored to defeat Republican Billy Prempeh in November's election.
On the House Ways and Means Committee, he dedicated years to scrutinizing Donald Trump's tax returns during the former president's time in office. Trump was frequently a target of Pascrell’s barbs, which populated his social media. He called for “the eventual prosecution” of Trump and “his enablers for their many crimes against the United States” after Trump's defeat in November 2020.
In recent years, Pascrell championed the cause of regulating ticket prices for live events, advocating for legislation to make ticket buying more affordable. “A fan shouldn’t have to sell a kidney or mortgage a house to see their favorite performer or team. At long last, it is time to create rules for fair ticketing in this country and my legislation will do exactly that for all the fans,” he remarked.
Democrats have until August 29 to choose a replacement for Pascrell on the ballot, with the decision expected from Democratic committee members in the 9th District's municipalities across Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson Counties.
Several prominent Democrats considered running for Pascrell’s position but ultimately decided against it, including Paterson Mayor André Sayegh and Assemblymember Shavonda Sumter. Both are seen as potential candidates, alongside Assemblymember Benjie Wimberly and others, but it remains to be seen if Bergen County Democrats will put forward a candidate given their substantial representation in the district.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning,” Pascrell’s family shared in a statement on social media. “As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He is now at peace after a lifetime devoted to our great nation America.”
Since July 14, Pascrell had been hospitalized at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Initially, he checked in due to a fever. However, two weeks later, his office reported he experienced a “setback” and required breathing assistance. Although he was discharged, his health deteriorated again, leading him to check into Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey.
Pascrell’s passing marks the second time this year that a sitting New Jersey lawmaker has died in office, following Democratic Rep. Donald Payne Jr.'s death in April following a heart attack. The loss of Pascrell also signifies diminishing seniority and influence for New Jersey in Congress, especially in light of Sen. Bob Menendez's recent departure from the Senate after being convicted of corruption.
An experienced legislator, Pascrell was poised to become the oldest member of the House in 2025 after California Democratic Rep. Grace Napolitano's retirement. He had recently won a primary despite backlash due to his pro-Israel stance amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and was anticipated to successfully face his Republican challenger in November.
Known for his vigorous presence in both New Jersey and Washington, Pascrell was often the go-to voice at press conferences addressing various issues, from tax deductions to impeachment discussions regarding former President Donald Trump.
William James Pascrell Jr. was born on January 25, 1937, in Paterson, New Jersey, a city founded by Alexander Hamilton that faced significant decline during the post-industrial era. Pascrell lived in Paterson for most of his life, having grown up on the city's south side.
A passionate baseball fan, he claimed he had unsuccessfully tried out for the Phillies and played for the Democrats’ congressional baseball team for many years, later becoming its coach. “I would eat a little dirt before every game to try to scare the other team,” he recounted in a 2016 interview revealing a childhood photo of his league. In 2019, he curated an all-time New Jersey baseball team, including famed players like Yogi Berra and Sparky Lyle.
After earning his degree from Fordham University in 1961, he served a year in the Army and five years in the Army Reserve. He became a public high school teacher and led the Paterson Board of Education during the late 1970s and early 1980s before being elected to the state Assembly in 1988.
In 1990, while still in the legislature, Pascrell won the mayoral race in Paterson and served two terms before making the transition to the House, where he unseated incumbent Republican Bill Martini in 1996.
Since then, Pascrell had consistently won reelection, often without significant challenges. However, redistricting in 2012 posed one of his greatest challenges during a contentious primary against fellow Democrat Steve Rothman, a close ally. Pascrell accused Rothman of being opportunistic for challenging him instead of facing a Republican, while Rothman questioned Pascrell’s progressive credentials. Pascrell secured a decisive victory by 22 points.
He maintained robust support in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District, which is primarily located in Bergen and Passaic counties and has strong Jewish and Muslim communities. Following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel's military response in Gaza, Pascrell faced intense criticism from local Arab Americans for his steadfast support of Israel.
Mohamed T. Khairullah, New Jersey's longest-serving Muslim mayor, challenged Pascrell in the June primary due to his opposition to a cease-fire and support for military assistance to Israel. In spite of this backlash, Pascrell won convincingly, claiming 76 percent of the vote, and was highly favored to defeat Republican Billy Prempeh in November's election.
On the House Ways and Means Committee, he dedicated years to scrutinizing Donald Trump's tax returns during the former president's time in office. Trump was frequently a target of Pascrell’s barbs, which populated his social media. He called for “the eventual prosecution” of Trump and “his enablers for their many crimes against the United States” after Trump's defeat in November 2020.
In recent years, Pascrell championed the cause of regulating ticket prices for live events, advocating for legislation to make ticket buying more affordable. “A fan shouldn’t have to sell a kidney or mortgage a house to see their favorite performer or team. At long last, it is time to create rules for fair ticketing in this country and my legislation will do exactly that for all the fans,” he remarked.
Democrats have until August 29 to choose a replacement for Pascrell on the ballot, with the decision expected from Democratic committee members in the 9th District's municipalities across Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson Counties.
Several prominent Democrats considered running for Pascrell’s position but ultimately decided against it, including Paterson Mayor André Sayegh and Assemblymember Shavonda Sumter. Both are seen as potential candidates, alongside Assemblymember Benjie Wimberly and others, but it remains to be seen if Bergen County Democrats will put forward a candidate given their substantial representation in the district.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
