Russ Feingold Biography Quotes 9 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Russell Dana Feingold was born on March 2, 1953, in Janesville, Wisconsin. Raised in the Upper Midwest, he developed a strong attachment to Wisconsin's civic traditions and public institutions. After graduating from public schools in his hometown, he attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship and studied at the University of Oxford. Returning to the United States, he earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. These experiences, spanning a flagship state university, a renowned international scholarship, and a leading law school, shaped his blend of pragmatic midwestern politics and principled constitutional advocacy.

Entry Into Wisconsin Politics
Feingold began his career practicing law in Wisconsin and soon turned to public service. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in the early 1980s and served for a decade. In the State Capitol, he built a reputation for seriousness about ethics, balanced budgets, and accessible government. He cultivated a method of public engagement that would become a hallmark of his career: regular, open listening sessions with constituents, an emphasis on transparent process, and a willingness to explain his votes even when they were controversial.

United States Senate
In 1992, Feingold won a seat in the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Republican Bob Kasten. He joined fellow Wisconsin senator Herb Kohl, forging a delegation noted for close attention to state concerns ranging from manufacturing and agriculture to education and conservation. During his tenure from 1993 to 2011, Feingold served on major committees including Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Budget, and Intelligence. His office became known for returning unspent funds to the U.S. Treasury and for holding listening sessions in all 72 Wisconsin counties every year, a practice that underscored his emphasis on accountability and direct dialogue.

Campaign Finance and Governance Reform
Feingold's national profile rose through his partnership with Senator John McCain on comprehensive campaign finance reform. Their legislation, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, known as McCain-Feingold, sought to curb the influence of soft money and regulate electioneering communications. The House companion effort was led by Chris Shays and Marty Meehan. Though the law was signed by President George W. Bush and initially upheld in McConnell v. FEC, its core provisions were later narrowed or undermined by Supreme Court rulings, most notably Citizens United in 2010. Feingold's reform work placed him at odds with powerful interests and with senators such as Mitch McConnell who opposed new constraints on campaign financing, but it also established him as a persistent advocate for cleaner elections and institutional integrity.

Civil Liberties, Foreign Policy, and Oversight
Feingold was the only senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001, citing concerns about civil liberties and the scope of government surveillance. He continued pressing for changes during subsequent reauthorization debates, working with colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, including figures such as Patrick Leahy, to refine surveillance authorities and oversight. He voted against the 2002 authorization for the Iraq War and repeatedly urged robust congressional oversight of national security policy. In 2006, he introduced a resolution to censure President George W. Bush over warrantless wiretapping, an action that drew sharp criticism from Republicans and some Democrats but reflected his view that executive power must remain within constitutional limits.

On the Foreign Relations Committee, Feingold focused especially on Africa and conflict prevention. He chaired work on African affairs at the subcommittee level and collaborated with the committee leadership under chairs such as Joe Biden and later John Kerry. He conducted extensive travel and hearings to draw attention to human rights, democratic governance, and peacebuilding in fragile regions.

Elections, Public Service, and Later Career
Feingold lost his bid for a fourth Senate term in 2010 to Ron Johnson. After leaving the Senate, he founded Progressives United, an organization dedicated to countering the growing influence of money in politics and strengthening grassroots advocacy. He authored While America Sleeps, reflecting on national security, foreign policy, and civil liberties in the post-9/11 era.

In 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry appointed Feingold as the U.S. Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a diplomatic role he carried out under President Barack Obama. His portfolio emphasized regional diplomacy, conflict resolution, and support for democratic institutions. Returning to electoral politics in 2016, he again challenged Senator Ron Johnson but was unsuccessful.

Feingold remained active in legal and civic education and in national constitutional advocacy. He later became president of the American Constitution Society, a nationwide organization of lawyers, scholars, and students focused on the rule of law, democracy, and constitutional interpretation. In that capacity he worked alongside a wide range of legal thinkers and public officials to advance access to justice, judicial independence, and ethical governance.

Legacy and Influence
Russ Feingold is widely associated with a brand of public service that prizes independence, constitutional rights, and accountability. His bipartisan work with John McCain on campaign finance reform remains a landmark in legislative attempts to mitigate the role of money in politics, even as later judicial rulings shifted the legal terrain. His lone vote against the PATRIOT Act and his push for oversight of surveillance and war powers cemented his standing among civil libertarians. In Wisconsin, his ethic of visiting every county and returning unused office funds became a template for transparent representation. Nationally, his collaborations and clashes with figures such as George W. Bush, Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden, Patrick Leahy, and John Kerry situate his career within the major debates of his era. His electoral contests with Bob Kasten and Ron Johnson, and his years serving alongside Herb Kohl (with Tammy Baldwin later joining Wisconsin's Senate delegation), mark the evolution of the state's political landscape. Across legislative, diplomatic, and civic roles, Feingold's career reflects a consistent commitment to democratic norms and the principle that public office demands both independence of judgment and sustained engagement with the people he served.

Our collection contains 9 quotes who is written by Russ, under the main topics: Justice - Freedom - Health - Military & Soldier - Honesty & Integrity.