The Best Bill Pascrell Takedowns of 'Lowlife' Trump and His 'Soulless Goons'
The feisty Democratic congressman from New Jersey died August 21.
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, a longtime congressman from New Jersey and unflinching critic of former President Donald Trump, died at 87 years old on Wednesday, his family announced.
Pascrell (D-N.J.), a former public school teacher, state assemblyman, and mayor of Paterson, was first elected to Congress in 1996 and served 14 terms.
His death led to an outpouring of tributes from dignitaries in New Jersey and across the country. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called him "a constant fighter for what is right and just."
Pascrell, not one to hold back for fear of impropriety, was known for memorable one-liners. After he arrived in Washington, he put a bumper sticker on his door that said "NAFTA is Shafta," expressing his opposition to free trade agreements.
"The joy of Bill Pascrell is you never walked away from Bill Pascrell saying he was undecided," Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), his colleague on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said in 2020.
As he advanced in age, Pascrell became something of an ally to younger colleagues, endorsing a Green New Deal, for example. In 2019, he tweeted a satirical article from The Onion titled "82-Year-Old New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell Quietly Asks Ilhan Omar If He Can Be Part Of The Squad."
"Well. How 'bout it," he jokingly asked the the small, left-wing band of lawmakers, getting an immediate "You're in, Bill Pascrell!" in response from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Mostly, Pascrell was known in his later years for his no-holds-barred criticism of Trump—whose tax returns he pursued vigorously, in his role on the Ways and Means Committee—and other Republicans, and the comedy he produced at their expense.
Pascrell took seeming delight in Trump's recent felony conviction in the New York hush money trial.
Good morning. Republican donald trump is a convicted criminal. pic.twitter.com/YxrRcIJSDG
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 13, 2024
A few days earlier, Pascrell took aim at U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who's been mired in controversy for unreported gifts he accepted from Republican megadonors in the past. Pascrell posted an artistic rendering, based on a real scene from five years ago, of Thomas smoking a cigar while he sits beside megadonor Harlan Crow, his main benefactor, and right-wing legal influencer Leonard Leo, among others.
Corrupt republican supreme court judges are taking bribes from billionaires while attacking your rights and crushing democracy pic.twitter.com/UaQgkfLPIO
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 9, 2024
Pascrell communicated with a directness that many Democratic officeholders are reluctant to employ, drawing praise—and smiles—from left-leaning followers of his social media account.
The republican party’s record is a disgrace and all Americans should see it for themselves. Please share. pic.twitter.com/FpTgtfo4Dd
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 23, 2023
In 2018, when Trump remarked that immigrants were coming to the U.S. from "shithole" countries, Pascrell invoked a racist character from the 1970s sitcom All in the Family.
Once again, @POTUS has made a fool of himself & our nation on a worldwide stage. He’s showing his bigoted tendencies in ways that would make Archie Bunker blush. White House statement makes it even more obvious that this president needs some help - what a national disgrace! https://t.co/j0N4K4c495
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) January 11, 2018
Pascrell, who was an advocate for veterans who'd suffered brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, objected to Trump's disrespect for those who'd given their lives for the country.
Trump wouldn’t visit a cemetery for US soldiers who gave their lives in battle because he said it was “filled with losers.”
What more can be said about this lowlife? He is beneath contempt. Republicans keep him in office bc they value their power more than America’s honor. https://t.co/koxOz6kkHm
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) September 3, 2020
During the pandemic, Pascrell warned that Trump's approach to dealing with Covid-19 could be deadly for Americans.
🚨 Trump and his soulless goons are trying to reduce covid testing to lower the number of reported positive cases.
Responsible for countless dead Americans, trump is willing to kill even more to make himself look better.
The republican party is a direct threat to your life. https://t.co/2ujI9odmrd
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) August 26, 2020
Trump's attorney general, William "Bill" Barr, was a frequent target of Pascrell's wrath: The congressman called him the "worst most corrupt despicable attorney general in U.S. history." So when Barr made claims about the Kenosha, Wisconsin, riots of 2020, Pascrell proved skeptical.
Bill barr is a lying disgrace whose word isn’t worth a nickel. Barr should be impeached and then stripped of his personal law licenses for life. #ImpeachBarr #DisbarBarr https://t.co/TG9FqL03q1
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) September 1, 2020
In a 2020 debate, when Trump interrupted President Joe Biden while the then-Democratic nominee spoke about the military service of his son Beau Biden, who'd died of cancer five years earlier, Pascrell was unimpressed.
Trump smearing Beau Biden. There is no low for this lowlife piece of impeached garbage. #Debate2020
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@PascrellforNJ) September 30, 2020
Pascrell was an indefatigable critic of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, whom he said had tried to sabotage—that is, slow down—the work of the U.S. Postal Service as a way of helping Trump's elections chances in 2020. (Most mail-in votes were for Democrats.) Pascrell blamed not just DeJoy but also the service's Board of Governors who had appointed the Republican businessman as their head.
Good question. On Jan 25 I was the first member of Congress calling for @POTUS to fire the entire USPS Board of Governors. They’re complicit in dejoy’s destruction. Americans are fed up. Time to clean house at USPS. https://t.co/wTGmjL9Ws4 pic.twitter.com/YZjJPU7oDs
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) February 7, 2021
Pascrell kept beating the drum against DeJoy, unsuccessfully, until he died. (DeJoy is still the postmaster general.) The congressman also regularly used social media as a platform to argue that Republicans posed a threat to democracy.
Tapping the sign as republicans today again try to destroy your voting rights pic.twitter.com/a4gIgZ9ZgJ
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 10, 2024
Pascrell, who was the second-oldest member of the House, will likely be replaced by another Democrat, as his district leans solidly blue.
