Throughout the day Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell was recalled by all for being one of the fiercest critics of former President Donald Trump — and he was.
But Pascrell, who passed at age 87, was about much more than just politics.
The 14-term congressman and favorite son of Paterson, where he once served as mayor, also was recalled as a friend of the business community — or anyone looking to work their way up.
Jim Kirkos, the CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber, called him a “champion of the little guy.”
“He saw everyone as equals and he always stood on his principles of common decency, respect, caring about each other and never forgetting where you came from,” he said. “I loved talking with my congressman because I felt like I was talking to my own Dad. He looked you in the eyes and when you looked back you could see the soul of a good man. … a great man.”
Deb Visconi, the CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, agreed.
“He was a champion for first responders and was committed to eliminating barriers to high-quality health care for all, and many of his constituents are served by Bergen New Bridge,” she said. “He leaves behind a tremendous legacy, and we are grateful for the work he did to support accessible health care, especially for safety-net facilities.”
Pascrell’s impact went far beyond his beloved North Jersey.
New Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Bracken called Pascrell a “great friend of the business community.”
“His door was always open when the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce staff needed counsel and support on issues critical to New Jersey,” he said. “He was especially an advocate for small businesses and ensuring our transportation and energy infrastructures were best in class.
“Congressman Pascrell was a regular on our Walk to Washington during his nearly three decades in Congress and while serving as a state assemblyman and mayor. Our state could not have asked for a better representative.”
Christopher Emigholz, the chief government affairs officer for the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, noted his continual support for the manufacturing sector and job creation.
“With the passing of Congressman Pascrell, New Jersey has lost a true champion of our state and its most vulnerable residents,” he said.
Praise for Pascrell came from all sectors in the state.
There were reflections by lawyers (Nancy Erika Smith said the state has lost a congressman who always fought for all of us), labor officials (Utility & Transportation Contractors Association Executive Director Dave Rible said he was a fighter for the biggest projects), nonprofit heads (Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey CEO Staci Berger said he understood that health is housing), law enforcement (PBA President Peter Andreyev lauded him for his “tell-it-like-it-is approach”), religious groups (the New Jersey Jewish Caucus called him a champion), even the journalists who covered him (Scott Fallon, Jonathan Salant and Steve Kornacki were among those leaving tributes).
But, for all his work as a politician, Pascrell was continually remembered as simply being a regular guy.
Attorney Ted Zangari of Sills Cummis & Gross offered this gem of a story.
“On a visit to D.C. during a presidential inauguration, I ran into Bill on the street and Bill introduced me to the person with whom he was heading to lunch — it was his barber from the shop located in the basement of the U.S. Capitol,” he said.
