John F. Russo

John F. Russo (July 11, 1933 – August 12, 2017) was an American politician and attorney from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate and was Senate President.

John F. Russo
President of the New Jersey Senate
In office January 14, 1986 – January 9, 1990
Preceded by	Carmen A. Orechio
Succeeded by	John A. Lynch Jr.
Member of the New Jersey Senate
In office January 8, 1974 – January 14, 1992
Preceded by	District created
Succeeded by	Andrew R. Ciesla
Constituency	9th district (1974–82) 10th district (1982–92)
Personal details
Born	(1933-07-11)July 11, 1933 Asbury Park, New Jersey
Died	August 12, 2017(2017-08-12) (aged 84)
Political party	Democrat
Residence	Toms River, New Jersey
Alma mater	University of Notre Dame (BA) Columbia University (JD)

Early life and education

Russo was born in Asbury Park and was a resident of Toms River. He was a 1955 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received a law degree from Columbia Law School in 1958.

Career

He served for nine years as an assistant prosecutor in Ocean County, and was first elected to the State Senate in 1973.[1]

In the Senate, Russo served on the Joint Committee on Appropriations and a Special Sub-Committee on Tax Reform and was the chair of the Committee on Energy, Agriculture and Environment and the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1982, he wrote a bill reinstating capital punishment in New Jersey.[2] Russo served as Senate President from 1986 to 1990.[3]

Russo ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Governor of New Jersey in 1985, placing second behind nominee Peter Shapiro, who was in turn soundly defeated by Thomas Kean in the general election.[1]

Following his retirement from the Senate, Russo was a partner at the Princeton Public Affairs Group.[3] In 2007, while a bill was proposed that would abolish capital punishment in the state, he sat on the Death Penalty Study Commission and testified against passage of the bill.

Death

Russo died on August 12, 2017 of esophageal cancer at the age of 84.[2]

References

1. Sullivan, Joseph F. "IN NEW JERSEY, AN EARLY ENTRY FOR GOVERNOR", The New York Times, June 16, 1987. Accessed April 25, 2008.
2. Napoliello, Alex (August 13, 2017). "John F. Russo, former senate president, dies at 83 [sic]". NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
3. "Our Members". Princeton Public Affairs Group. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2017.

Political offices
Preceded by Carmen A. Orechio	President of the New Jersey Senate 1986-1990	Succeeded by John A. Lynch, Jr.
New Jersey Senate
Preceded by Brian T. Kennedy	Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 10th district 1982–1992	Succeeded by Andrew R. Ciesla
Preceded by District created	Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 9th district 1974–1982	Succeeded by Leonard T. Connors