Zina Spezakis Calls for the Resignation of Bill Pascrell

On June 5, amidst widespread calls for police reform and defunding after the murder of George Floyd, OpenSecrets.org—a nonpartisan and nonprofit resource for campaign contribution and lobbying data—published an article summarizing the influence of police money in the federal government. The article reveals that Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District has received more career-funding money from police unions and law enforcement PACs than any other member of Congress, Democrat or Republican.

In response to this, Zina Spezakis, a progressive candidate running in the Democratic primary to represent this same district, is calling on Rep. Pascrell to resign from office, saying:

“It is unacceptable and horrific that Pascrell continues to take money from law enforcement while he tweets his support for their victims. He has shown time and again that the only thing he serves in Congress is his own greed, ignoring the innocent Black and Brown lives murdered by the police in his very own district. We have not forgotten Jameek Lowery, who went to the Paterson police begging for help and ended up dead. Justice has still not been served to Jameek’s family, and his blood is on Pascrell’s hands. We have seen the racism and violence that runs rampant in this country’s policing system, but there will not be real reform until we are rid of politicians like Pascrell, who care more about money than their patriotic duty to make this nation a safer place for all. Rep. Pascrell has been actively working against the people of this district for far too long. We demand his resignation.”

Pascrell has been in Congress for over two decades, but rarely shows any loyalty or accountability to his own constituents. His disturbing lack of regard for the members of his district and his willingness to be funded by an entity that is murdering Black people in the streets shows that he is completely unfit to represent the people he has pledged to serve. Representative Bill Pascrell must resign immediately.