Russ Decker

Born in Athens, Wisconsin, Decker graduated from Athens High School, afterward attending Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin as an apprentice bricklayer.

Decker was first elected to the Senate in 1990, and was re-elected four more times, serving a total of five terms.

Following the passage of the 2007-2009 state budget, the Senate Democratic Caucus voted to remove Judy Robson. The removal had led by Decker, who argued that Robson had betrayed Democratic principles.{{Cite news |last=Walters |first=Steven |date=September 25, 2017 |title=Democrats’ Leadership Blender Claws Barca |url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/09/25/the-state-of-politics-democrats-leadership-blender-claws-barca/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Urban Milwaukee}} After her removal, Decker was elected as the next Democratic co-caucus leader, alongside Senator Fred Risser.

In April 2005, Decker was arrested and charged with OWI.[http://stopthemaddness.org/cached1/20050279.html "Decker holds event at tavern,"] Wausau Daily Herald, April 5, 2005. Retrieved March 25, 2011. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of driving with a prohibited blood alcohol content and had to give up his driver's license for six months.[http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/37170119.html "Sen. Decker says OWI arrest doesn't influence his position,"] Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, January 26, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2011.

Decker attracted controversy in 2009 when he voted to attach an amendment to the yearly budget, which had to be voted on in the state senate. The amendment would have required the Government Accountability Board to use similar processes that other state agencies use to request funding, which is through legislative approval. This amendment drew sharp criticism from organizations supporting government transparency like Common Cause, which argued that the amendment would defeat the purpose of the G.A.B and undermine the agency's ability to effectively investigate the legislature should it need to. Decker's staff justified the amendment, arguing "Many people felt [the board] needed to justify their budget like everyone else."{{Cite news |last=Heck |first=Jay |date=June 22, 2009 |title=Senator Decker's Misguided Amendment to Eviscerate the Government Accountability Board Must Not Prevail |url=https://www.commoncausewisconsin.org/2009/06/senator-deckers-misguided-amendment-to.html |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Common Cause Wisconsin}}

On November 2, 2010, Republican Pam Galloway defeated Decker in his reelection bid.[http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/106588713.html "GOP challenger defeats Majority Leader Decker,"] JS Online, November 3, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2011.

Following the 2010 elections, Wisconsin Democrats convened for a special session in December. Part of the special session included votes on ratifying new contracts for state employees, which had been negotiated by outgoing Governor Jim Doyle. Decker had grown distant with the rest of the Democratic caucus following his defeat in the election, and was described as difficult to reach by several fellow Democratic legislators.{{Cite news |last=Craver |first=Jack |date=December 15, 2010 |title=What's up with Senate Leader Russ Decker? |url=https://isthmus.com/archive/the-sconz/whats-up-with-senate-leader-russ-decker/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Isthmus}} Earlier in the day, Decker had voted with the rest of Democrats in committee to put the state contracts to a floor vote. He eventually attended the session, with him and fellow outgoing Democrat Jeffrey Plale voting alongside all 15 Republican senators to reject the first of seventeen contracts.{{Cite news |last=Mills |first=Emily |date=December 16, 2010 |title=Emily's Post: Diva Russ Decker dumped after the curtain has fallen |url=https://isthmus.com/archive/emilys-post/emilys-post-diva-russ-decker-dumped-after-the-curtain-has-fallen/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Isthmus}} Decker justified his vote arguing that the next legislature, which would be controlled by Republicans, could negotiate and vote on the contracts.

Due to his vote against the first contract, the Democrats quickly convened a caucus where they voted to remove him from his position as Democratic caucus leader, nominating Senator Dave Hansen to replace him for the remainder of the session. Following his removal, Decker and Plale voted alongside Republicans on the other sixteen contracts, all of which faced 16–16 tie votes and failed to pass.{{Cite news |last=Maichle |first=Kyle |date=December 16, 2010 |title=Wisconsin state employee contracts fail in lame duck session |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_state_employee_contracts_fail_in_lame_duck_session |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |via=Ballotpedia}}

In the aftermath of the vote, Decker was subject to speculation and allegations that he had unsuccessfully attempted to persuade governor Doyle to pardon former Democratic Caucus leader Charles Chvala, who had been convicted for his role in the 2002 Caucus Scandal. Speculation pointed to Decker's connections with Chvala, a close ally and mentor of Decker, and Chvala's wife, Barbara Worcester, who served as Decker's chief of staff.{{Cite news |last=Craver |first=Jack |date=December 21, 2010 |title=Explaining Russ Decker: The Chvala theory |url=https://isthmus.com/archive/the-sconz/explaining-russ-decker-the-chvala-theory/ |access-date=December 2, 2024 |work=Isthmus}} It was also rumored, although ultimately never came to be, that Decker had been looking to gain a position in the incoming administration of Scott Walker, which had been what happened to Jeff Plale, as he would come to serve as the Administrator of the Wisconsin Division of State Facilities and later as the Wisconsin Commissioner of Railroads. This never came to pass and Decker retired from politics altogether.

Decker lives in Ashland, Wisconsin with his second wife.

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{{CongLinks |votesmart= 3442 }}

• Follow the Money - Russ Decker
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=118240 2010] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=98234 2008] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200648&c=415802 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200448&c=411271 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200248&c=32118 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200048&c=386850 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=199848&c=384698 1998] campaign contributions

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Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Athens, Wisconsin

Category:Northcentral Technical College alumni

Category:Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators

Category:Wisconsin politicians convicted of crimes

Category:People from Schofield, Wisconsin

Category:21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature