Rep. Bill Pascrell dead following illness, 2nd New Jersey congressman to die in office this year



Democrat Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey passed away at age 87 after a lingering respiratory illness.

Pascrell's family made the announcement on Wednesday morning from Pascrell's personal X account:

It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning. 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.

According to reports, Pascrell had been suffering from a respiratory illness, causing him to be hospitalized for more than three weeks. At one point, he even required "breathing assistance," staff said.

'Felony convictions by President George Washington to Obama and Biden: 0 Donald trump: 34.'

Pascrell was released from the hospital earlier this month only to suffer a setback and return to a rehab facility a few days later, northjersey.com reported.

Many outlets described Pascrell as "feisty" and referred to his fierce animus against former President Donald Trump. NBC News reported that Pascrell fought to gain access to Trump's tax returns and noted how frequently Trump featured in his tweets.

For instance, on July 13 — roughly six hours before a would-be assassin shot a bullet through Trump's ear, missing his skull by mere millimeters — Pascrell tweeted: "Felony convictions by President George Washington to Obama and Biden: 0 Donald trump: 34."

Two hours after the deadly shooting, Pascrell took to X to denounce all forms of "political violence" and asked his followers to "pray for Donald Trump."

A lifelong resident of Paterson, New Jersey, the state's third-largest city, Pascrell joined what NBC News called the "rough-and-tumble" world of New Jersey politics in the 1970s and eventually worked his way up to Congress by 1996. For a while, he simultaneously served in the House of Representatives and as Paterson mayor, a practice that the outlet claimed was "common" in New Jersey at the time.

Pascrell was seeking a 15th term in congressional office at the time of his death. Because his death occurred more than 70 days before Election Day, Democratic county committee members can select his interim replacement, who will then ostensibly face current Republican nominee Billy Prempeh in November.

Pascrell is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Elsie Marie Botto, and their three children and five grandchildren.

Pascrell is not the only sitting New Jersey congressman to die this year. Back in April, Rep. Donald Payne Jr., a fellow Democrat, passed away following a heart attack likely precipitated by diabetes and high blood pressure.

Payne's former district will hold a special election on September 8 to determine Payne's replacement. Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver, a Democrat, is strongly favored over Republican nominee Carmen Bucco.

The winner of that race will have to defend the seat again roughly eight weeks later.

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Democratic Member Of Congress Passes Away At 87

'Lifetime devoted to our great nation America'

DEATH WATCH: After Feinstein, Which Ancient Democrat Will 'Retire' Next?

Here's a look at some of the elderly and infirm Democrats who are most likely to vacate their seats in the near future on account of being dead.

The post DEATH WATCH: After Feinstein, Which Ancient Democrat Will 'Retire' Next? appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.

Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. claims that adding seats to the Supreme Court would 'reinvigorate our Constitution'



As Democratic lawmakers call for for adding seats to the U.S. Supreme Court, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey is claiming that increasing the number of justices would "reinvigorate our Constitution."

"I urge all my colleagues to support expanding the supreme court. Balancing the court will undo decades of republican court packing, reinvigorate our Constitution, and protect American democracy," Pascrell tweeted on Friday.

\u201cI urge all my colleagues to support expanding the supreme court.\n\nBalancing the court will undo decades of republican court packing, reinvigorate our Constitution, and protect American democracy.\u201d
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Bill Pascrell, Jr. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1657890065

In a June tweet, Pascrell used the same language, accusing the GOP of "court packing" and claiming that "New justices will reinvigorate our Constitution to reflect our nation."

The nation's high court has been fixed at nine seats for more than a century, but some Democrats are clamoring to add more justices. "The number of Justices on the Supreme Court changed six times before settling at the present total of nine in 1869," according to the Supreme Court website.

Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington declared in a tweet on Friday, "I'm a woman of color who's had an abortion, is in a loving, interracial marriage, and has an amazing trans daughter. This extremist Supreme Court is a direct threat to me, my loved ones, and to millions of people all across this country. We need balance now. Expand the Court."

\u201cI\u2019m a woman of color who's had an abortion, is in a loving, interracial marriage, and has an amazing trans daughter.\n\nThis extremist Supreme Court is a direct threat to me, my loved ones, and to millions of people all across this country.\n\nWe need balance now. Expand the Court.\u201d
— Pramila Jayapal (@Pramila Jayapal) 1657910521

Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones of New York tweeted on Wednesday, "Expand the Supreme Court before Clarence Thomas’ far-right dystopia becomes our reality." In a post on Friday, Jones declared that "the cascade of horrors won’t stop until Democrats use their power. Expanding the Court is more important than ever."

While Democrats have been outraged lately by the Supreme Court's ruling that enabled states to ban abortions, progressives had already been pushing to pack the court prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Liberal lawmakers have even advocated for legislation to add seats to the high court.

House Democrat urges Pelosi to punish, retaliate against Republicans who supported Texas SCOTUS lawsuit



Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) is asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to punish those House Republicans who supported the Texas lawsuit that sought to overturn the results of the presidential election.

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the Lone Star State's last ditch effort to swing the election in President Donald Trump's favor, saying the lawsuit had a "lack of standing under Article III of the Constitution."

What is Pascrell saying?

The New Jersey Democrat said that Republican lawmakers and Republican congressmen-elect should be punished for supporting the lawsuit.

According to Pascrell, those Republicans who supported the lawsuit are violating the Constitution, and therefore should be sanctioned and not seated in Congress.

"The courageous Reconstruction Congress implanted into our governing document safeguards to cleanse from our government ranks any traitors and others who would seek to destroy the Union," Pascrell wrote to Pelosi, citing the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"Stated simply, men and women who would act to tear the United States government apart cannot serve as Members of the Congress," he continued. "These lawsuits seeking to obliterate public confidence in our democratic system by invalidating the clear results of the 2020 presidential election attack the text and spirit of the Constitution, which each Member swears to support and defend, as well as violate the Rules of our House of Representatives, which explicitly forbid Members from committing unbecoming acts that reflect poorly on our chamber."

"Consequently, I call on you to exercise the power of your offices to evaluate steps you can take to address these constitutional violations this Congress and, if possible, refuse to seat in the 117th Congress any Members-elect seeking to make Donald Trump an unelected dictator," Pascrell demanded.

Pascrell went on to compare this moment in American history to Civil War-era division.

"Rising from the embers of the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment was written to prevent the destruction of the United States from without and within. The moment we face now may be without parallel since 1860. The fate of our democracy depends on us meeting that moment," he said.

Anything else?

Since the election, Pascrell has been on a war-path defending Joe Biden's apparent election win.

As TheBlaze reported, Pascrell said in late November that Trump and his "enablers" should be "tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."

"Donald Trump and members of his administration have committed innumerable crimes against the United States," Pascrell said, claiming the Trump administration has "engaged in treachery, in treason."

"Therefore, in 2021 the entire Trump administration must be fully investigated by the Department of Justice and any other relevant offices," Pascrell added.

Then, just days later, Pascrell revealed attempts to disbar members of Trump's legal team who were challenging the outcome of the election.

Democratic congressman wants Rudy Giuliani, other Trump lawyers disbarred for post-election work



New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell has filled paperwork requesting the disbarment of attorneys working on behalf of President Donald Trump's campaign, citing "attempts to overturn the election and demolish democracy."

What are the details?

Pascrell wrote the legal disciplinary authorities in five states — Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and New York — last week requesting the "severest sanction" against Rudy Giuliani and 22 other Trump attorneys: "revocation of their law licensures."

Speaking about Giuliani specifically, Pascrell claimed the former New York City mayor has violated rules governing the professional conduct of lawyers by participating in "frivolous lawsuits," using the court system to "assault public confidence in the United States electoral system," and engaging "in conduct involving dishonest, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation."

"The egregious pattern of behavior by Mr. Giuliani to effectuate Mr. Trump's sinister arson is a danger not just to our legal system but is also unprecedented in our national life. In carrying out that perversion, Mr. Giuliani has clearly violated the New York Rules of Professional Conduct he swore to uphold and should face the severest sanction your body can mete out: revocation of his law licensure," Pascrell said.

Similar claims of professional attorney misconduct were made against the other Trump lawyers.

🚨 I’ve just filed legal complaints with the AZ, MI, NV, NY, and PA bars against Rudy Giuliani and 22 other lawyers… https://t.co/v4rgeTx1Th
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@Bill Pascrell, Jr.)1605901917.0

What's the background?

Trump's legal team have made numerous allegations of wide-scale voter fraud. However, they have not backed their allegations with concrete evidence in court.

Their failure to substantiate their allegations publicly has earned scorn from Republican lawmakers, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and even staunch allies of Trump, like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who called Trump's legal team a "national embarrassment."

One of the Trump legal team's latest losses came in Pennsylvania over the weekend, when a federal judge denied their request to invalidate millions of votes. Doing so would have amounted to violating the Constitution, the judge said.

Anything else?

As TheBlaze reported, Pascrell has also said Trump and his "enablers" should be "tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."

"Donald Trump and members of his administration have committed innumerable crimes against the United States," Pascrell said, claiming the Trump administration has "engaged in treachery, in treason."

"Therefore, in 2021 the entire Trump administration must be fully investigated by the Department of Justice and any other relevant offices," Pascrell said.

Democratic congressman says Trump and allies should be tried for ‘crimes against our nation;' Gaetz hits back: 'Disgusting'



Less than two weeks ago, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was smashed with backlash for demanding a list of "Trump sycophants" so that they will be held accountable in the future. Now, another Democratic politician has called for punitive punishment against President Donald Trump and his allies.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.), who is a staunch critic of the president, has called for Trump and his "enablers" to "be tried for their crimes against our nation." Earlier this week, Pascrell issued a press release demanding a "widespread investigation" and prosecution of "Trump government crimes."

"Donald Trump and members of his administration have committed innumerable crimes against the United States," Pascrell claimed without providing proof.

Pascrell listed a number of unsubstantiated accusations, by saying, "He has endangered our national security. He ripped families apart. He poisoned the Census. He has personally profited from his office. He has attacked our elections and sought to throttle democracy."

The Democratic congressman baselessly alleged that the president "engaged in treason," a crime punishable by death.

"Therefore, in 2021 the entire Trump administration must be fully investigated by the Department of Justice and any other relevant offices," Pascrell said in the statement that was released on Tuesday. "Donald Trump along with his worst enablers must be tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."

Pascrell added, "Importantly, any further abuse of the sacred pardon power to shield criminals would itself be obstruction of justice, and any self-pardons would be illegal."

Pascrell contended that not punishing Trump and his allies only "emboldens criminality by our national leaders and continues America down the path of lawlessness and authoritarianism."

Tonight I’m calling for the eventual prosecution of donald trump and his enablers for their many crimes against the… https://t.co/uAKbnH6MiZ
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@Bill Pascrell, Jr.)1605662942.0

Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) retaliated on Twitter by calling the campaign to prosecute Trump administration members "disgusting."

"This is now the Left's goal - throw President Trump, his administration officials, his family and his supporters in prison," Gaetz wrote on Twitter. "This is where we are now. Disgusting."

This is now the Left’s goal - throw President Trump, his administration officials, his family and his supporters in… https://t.co/E1kDdqlNdq
— Matt Gaetz (@Matt Gaetz)1605710675.0

Pascrell has been harshly critical of Trump challenging the 2020 election results, and said the president is attempting to "steal the election he lost badly."

"Crybaby trump is calling local officials demanding they overturn an election he lost badly and throw out ballots because they voted against him," Pascrell tweeted. "He will leaving office by January 20."

On Saturday, Pascrell claimed that the "Republican Party is unfit to govern and doesn't give a damn about you."