John Russo was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, a construction worker and a dressmaker, arrived in the United States from Europe five months before he was born. He graduated with honors in Economics and Political Science from Yale University and earned his law degree from New York University School of Law. John has lived in Oakland since 1987and is the proud father of twin boys.
As the first-elected City Attorney of Oakland, John Russo has transformed the City
Attorney’s office into a dynamic, effective advocate for the City and its residents, while saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars with aggressive courtroom work. John created the award-winning Neighborhood Law Corps, an innovative model program in the state where neighborhood-based attorneys fight blight, drug dealing, and other quality of life issues in the poorest areas of Oakland, creating healthier, safer neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Law Corps program was just honored October 6, 2005 with a statewide Helen Putnam Prize and Grand Prize Award from the League of California cities for innovation and achievement as a new urban model. John led efforts to implement “Megan’s Law,” in Oakland, ensuring that parents are notified when dangerous sex offenders are present around our schools and neighborhoods. Click here for new 2005 information and services available from the Oakland City Attorney’s Office on the Megan’s Law program.
As a former Oakland Councilmember, Russo also championed crucial issues such as zero tolerance for sexual harassment, protecting the rights of free assembly and speech in Oakland’s public areas, combating crime while stopping Constitutional abuses by law enforcement, and writing new open government laws.
While serving as Oakland’s Finance Committee Chair on the City Council, John’s work led to a balanced budget, cuts to bureaucratic waste and protection of the programs Oakland needs.
Russo is also a local leader with statewide experience. As President of the League of California Cities, John successfully championed the effort to return billions of dollars in tax money from the state to our local governments protecting essential services such as after-school, health, and public safety programs. In the Assembly, John will be a leader for our area on issues such as affordable housing and environmental justice; health care; and fixing the state budget.
