PARSIPPANY — Prospective U.S. Senate candidate John Crowley made his first public appearance today since cutting back his role at his biotech company to focus on "public policy, civic service, and philanthropic endeavors" but said nothing about his political future. Crowley appeared at a United Way fundraiser attended by members of the commercial real estate industry. In his 22-minute...
John Crowley smiles during a 2008 interview at his home in Princeton. Crowley was founder and CEO of Amicus Theraputics, a pharmaceutical company, and is now eyeing a Senate bid.PARSIPPANY — Prospective U.S. Senate candidate John Crowley made his first public appearance today since cutting back his role at his biotech company to focus on "public policy, civic service, and philanthropic endeavors" but said nothing about his political future.
Crowley appeared at a United Way fundraiser attended by members of the commercial real estate industry.
In his 22-minute speech, Crowley did not talk politics but instead focused on the nature of giving, recalling that after his father, an Englewood policeman, died when he was 7, other members of the force banded together to form a college fund for him and his younger brother.
"It was just a little bit of a way for them to step up and to help," he said.
Crowley, 44, has never run for elective office, nor has he declared his intention to be a Republican candidate for the Senate. But his decision to change roles his company, Amicus Therapeutics, from chief executive to executive chairman, was widely seen as a prelude to a run against the Democratic incumbent, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez.
A combination of his personal wealth and compelling life story has made him an attractive candidate.
After his two youngest children were diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy called Pompe Disease, Crowley left his job at Bristol-Myers Squibb to take over a small biotech firm and raised more than $100 million for research. It eventually paid off with a treatment for his children.
His life story was the basis of a book and later a film, "Extraordinary Measures," that featured the actor Brendan Fraser as Crowley. He is also an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve.
Crowley considered running for the Senate in 2008, and was courted by state and national Republicans who wanted him to challenge Frank Lautenberg, the other Democratic incumbent.
In an interview shortly before his speech, Crowley would not comment on whether he’s going to run for office and said he had made the commitment to speak many months ago.
He did sound a patriotic note during his speech, saying he didn't think he'd have been able to raise money to find a treatment for his children in any other country.
"I don't think it would have happened anywhere else in the United States," he said.
Previous coverage:
• N.J. biotech chief, U.S. Senate hopeful shifts role in company to devote time to public policy