Sen. Russ Feingold is reintroducing legislation calling for the abolishment of the practice. | John Shinkle/POLITICO Feingold pushes end to death penalty

Sen. Russ Feingold, carrying the liberal mantle as he so often does, is reintroducing legislation calling for the abolishment of the death penalty.

Feingold’s Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2009 would put an immediate halt to federal executions and forbid the use of the death penalty as a sentence for violations of federal law. The bill follows New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s move this week to abolish the death penalty.


“Gov. Bill Richardson and the New Mexico Legislature’s action to abolish the death penalty in that state adds to the growing momentum behind ending the death penalty in this country,” Feingold said. “It is truly unfortunate that we are in a shrinking minority of countries that continue to allow state-sponsored executions.”

The bill is likely to go nowhere outside Feingold’s subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights.