Representative Donald Lawrence O’Toole

Donald Lawrence O’Toole (August 1, 1902 – September 12, 1964) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served eight consecutive terms as a United States Representative from New York from 1937 to 1953. Over the course of his sixteen years in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process during a period marked by the Great Depression, World War II, and the early Cold War, representing the interests of his Brooklyn constituents in the national legislature.

O’Toole was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 1, 1902. He was educated in both public and parochial schools in Brooklyn and completed his secondary education at St. James Academy, from which he graduated in 1916. His upbringing in Brooklyn, a borough experiencing rapid growth and demographic change in the early twentieth century, helped shape his familiarity with urban issues and the concerns of working- and middle-class families that would later inform his political career.

Following his early schooling, O’Toole pursued higher education in law. He attended the law department of Fordham University, graduating in 1925. He then undertook postgraduate studies at Columbia University and New York University, further broadening his academic and professional preparation. O’Toole was admitted to the bar in 1927 and commenced the practice of law in New York City, establishing himself in the legal profession before entering public office.

O’Toole’s formal political career began at the municipal level. He served as a member of the New York City Board of Aldermen from 1934 to 1936, a period during which the city was grappling with the effects of the Great Depression and the implementation of New Deal–era policies. His service on the board provided him with experience in local governance and legislative work, and it increased his visibility within the Democratic Party in Brooklyn and New York City.

Building on his local experience, O’Toole was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fifth Congress and to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1937, to January 3, 1953. During these eight terms, he participated actively in the democratic process at the federal level, contributing to debates and legislation that spanned domestic recovery programs, wartime mobilization, and postwar economic and foreign policy issues. As a member of the House of Representatives from New York, he represented his Brooklyn district through major national transformations, ensuring that the interests and concerns of his constituents were brought before Congress.

After sixteen years in Congress, O’Toole sought to continue his legislative career but was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection in 1952 to the Eighty-third Congress. He again ran for office in 1954 as a candidate for the Eighty-fourth Congress but was not elected. Following these defeats, he returned to private life and resumed the practice of law, drawing on his extensive experience in both the legal field and public service.

In addition to his legal practice, O’Toole continued to serve the State of New York in important administrative roles. He was executive director of the New York State Department of Commerce and Industry from 1955 to 1957, a position in which he was involved in efforts to promote economic development and industrial growth in the state. He subsequently served as commissioner of the same department from August 1, 1958, to April 29, 1959, further contributing to state-level economic and commercial policy.

A lifelong resident of Brooklyn, O’Toole maintained his ties to the borough even as his later years took him away from elective office. He died in Ocala, Florida, on September 12, 1964. His remains were returned to New York, and he was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, reflecting his enduring connection to the community he had represented in Congress and served throughout his career.