Donald L. O'Toole

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Donald Lawrence O'Toole
Donald L. O'Toole.jpg
Former U.S. Representative from New York's 13th Congressional District
From: January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1953
Predecessor Louis J. Capozzoli
Successor Abraham J. Multer
Former U.S. Representative from New York's 8th Congressional District
From: January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1945
Predecessor Richard J. Tonry
Successor Joseph L. Pfeifer
Information
Party Democrat
Spouse(s) Mary T. Martin
Religion Roman Catholic[1]

Donald Lawrence O'Toole (August 1, 1902 – September 12, 1964) was an attorney, alderman, and Democrat from Brooklyn who represented New York's 8th and 13th congressional districts in the United States House of Representatives. He served 1937 until 1953, having been defeated for re-election in 1952 as Dwight Eisenhower won New York in the concurrent presidential election that year.

Prior to being a member of Congress, O'Toole filled an aldermanic post in Brooklyn following Richard J. Tonry's 1934 election to Congress.[2] Considered an independent-minded liberal, O'Toole generally supported the New Deal though broke with the Roosevelt administration on occasions.[3]

Background

O'Toole was born in Brooklyn to a Catholic family. After completing both public and parochial schools, he attended St. James Academy, where he graduated from in 1916. O'Toole proceeded to join Columbia University, and in 1927 was admitted to the bar.

U.S. House of Representatives

O'Toole was first elected to the House in 1936, defeating Republican opponent Nathan Greenbaum by a landslide.[4] He continued being re-elected seven times, hardly facing any opponents with the exception of the 1946 Democrat primary.[5]

Tenure

The representative was endorsed by the Congress of Industrial Organizations in his 1944 re-election bid.[6] The following election cycle in 1946 was marred with controversy; O'Toole, backed by labor interests against primary challenger Arthur F. Hurley,[7] was ultimately declared the winner by a margin of less than one hundred votes.[8] A House special committee had investigated the matter,[9] and a subsequent recount was in the incumbent's favor.[10]

Independent streak

Amidst rationing as ordered by the federal government during World War II, O'Toole in early 1943 blamed the Office of Price Administration for a black market on meat and introduced a resolution to probe the OPA.[11]

O'Toole was one of only eleven representatives who voted against a bill in 1947 which designated the Speaker of the House as second-in-line for presidential succession following the vice president.[3]

In March 1948, O'Toole called for the U.S. government to take actions protecting Pope Pius XII.[12] He also voiced heavy opposition later that year towards a proposed bridge construction between Brooklyn and Staten Island, claiming it would be a civil and military liability.[13]

Cox Committee

In 1952, the House passed a resolution to establish the Select Committee to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations and Comparable Organizations,[14] which O'Toole voted against. Chaired by Democrat segregationist Eugene Cox of Georgia, it was known as the Cox Committee.

O'Toole was a member of the seven-member committee which investigated major foundations for subversion.[15] The size and scope of the investigations were not very deep, and the final report release following Cox's untimely death exonerated the foundations of suspected wrongdoing.[16]

Of the surviving Cox Committee members, only O'Toole was not present in the following Congress where the House voted on a resolution at the request of Tennessee Republican B. Carroll Reece to re-establish the select committee.[17]

Defeat, comeback bids

Following redistricting, O'Toole lost re-election in 1952 to Republican state representative Francis E. Dorn when running in the newly drawn 12th congressional district.[18] He attempted to make a comeback in the 1954 and 1956 elections, though was defeated by Dorn in those races as well.[19][20]

Death

O'Toole died in mid-September 1964 at the age of sixty-two.[3] A funeral service was held at Our Lady of the Angels Roman Catholic Church, and he is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Otjen to Overstolz. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  2. ↑ January 5, 1935. O'TOOLE IS SELECTED FOR ALDERMANIC POST; McGee Manager in the Fight on Wogan, to Represent the 40th District of Brooklyn.. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 September 14, 1964. EX‐REP. O'TOOLE OF BROOKLYN DIES; Democrat, in House 16 Years, Later Was State Official. The New York Times. Archived version available here. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  4. ↑ NY District 8 Race - Nov 03, 1936. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  5. ↑ Candidate - Donald L. O'Toole. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  6. ↑ July 24, 1944. BUCKLEY AND O'TOOLE GET SUPPORT OF CIO. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ July 25, 1946. O'TOOLE, DEMOCRAT BACKED BY LABOR; Incumbent Replaces McMahon Over Quill's Objection in the 13th Congress District Republicans Like Their Ticket Liberal Party Candidates. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ NY District 13 - D Primary Race - Aug 20, 1946. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ Trussell, C. P. (September 5, 1946). O'TOOLE VOTE CASE FILED IN CAPITAL; House Committee Gets Report of Representative on Count in Brooklyn Primary. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ October 15, 1946. O'TOOLE IS VICTOR IN VOTE RECOUNT; Representative Who Fought Democratic Organization Wins Primary With Court Aid. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  11. ↑ January 27, 1943. ASKS HOUSE INQUIRY ON OPA 'MEAT MESS'; O'Toole Blames Federal Agency for Black Market and Says It Threatens Small Shops. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  12. ↑ March 20, 1948. U.S. ASKED TO AID POPE; O'Toole Wants State Department to Pledge Pontiff's Safety. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  13. ↑ July 20, 1948. HEARING DEMANDED ON NARROWS SPAN; Representative O'Toole of Kings Denounces Project to Army as Civil, Military Liability. The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ H RES 561. RESOLUTION CREATING A SELECT COMMITTEE TO CON- DUCT AN INVESTIGATION AND STUDY OF FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  15. ↑ HEARINGS BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE TAX-EXEMPT FOUNDATIONS AND COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. Res. 561. American Deception. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  16. ↑ FascinatingPolitics (December 22, 2019). The Reece Committee on Foundations: Conspiratorial Nonsense or an Expose of a Threat to the Nation?. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  17. ↑ H RES 217. RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO CON- DUCT A FULL AND COMPLETE INVESTIGATION AND STUDY OF EDUCA- TIONAL AND PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE EXEMPT FROM FED. INCOME TAXATION.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  18. ↑ NY District 12 Race - Nov 04, 1952. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  19. ↑ NY District 12 Race - Nov 02, 1964. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ NY District 12 Race - Nov 06, 1956. Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 23, 2021.

External links

  • Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  • Profile at Find a Grave
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