Donald C. Rubel
Donald Clarke Rubel | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 October 1900 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | 12 February 1980 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, political figure |
| Years active | 1923–1980 |
| Known for | Philadelphia politics, Committee of Seventy president |
Donald Clarke Rubel (October 1, 1900 – February 12, 1980) was a banker and political figure based in Philadelphia.
Early life and career
Rubel was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to parents Henry M. and Gretchen Scott Rubel. During World War I, he served in the United States Marine Corps. He completed his studies at Brown University in 1923. Following graduation, he took on the role of coaching Brown's freshman football squad before entering the stock brokerage industry and becoming a member of the Union League of Philadelphia. In 1925, he wed Julia Davis Lee, with whom he had two children. Starting in 1930, Rubel joined Parrish Securities and remained with the company for the duration of his career.
Politics
A committed Republican throughout his life, Rubel worked alongside Democrats and reform-oriented Republicans to oppose Philadelphia’s entrenched political machine. As president of the Committee of Seventy, he played a key role in advocating for the 1951 city charter reforms and contributed to dismantling the Republican political organization.
The new charter established seven at-large city council positions, reserving two for the minority party. After the 1951 elections, Republicans occupied these minority seats. When Republican John W. Lord Jr. resigned in 1954, a special election ensued. The Republican Party nominated John T. Murphy, while Democrats put forward Rubel—who retained his Republican affiliation but committed to supporting party-line decisions. Democratic Mayor Joseph S. Clark Jr. endorsed Rubel to preserve minority party representation and promote reform initiatives.
Rubel secured victory by a margin exceeding 120,000 votes, interpreting this as public support for reform within the GOP ranks. However, in the 1955 election cycle, running as a Republican candidate, he narrowly failed to secure reelection to an at-large council seat despite receiving considerable backing from independent wards.
Maintaining his reform agenda through continued involvement with the Committee of Seventy, Rubel pushed for modifications in how election officials were appointed and held a position on the City Trusts board responsible for managing assets such as Girard College. In 1962, he initiated legal action to compel reapportionment of the state senate after decades without adjustments reflecting population changes. Although considered a contender for the Republican mayoral nomination in 1963, James T. McDermott was ultimately selected.
By 1964, Rubel chaired the city Republican policy committee and was appointed by Governor William Scranton to the City Registration Commission—resulting in a Republican majority until the commission’s dissolution in 1965. Later, Governor Raymond P. Shafer named him to SEPTA’s board in 1968. After stepping back from political life, Rubel passed away in 1980.