John Jakob Raskob, KCSG (March 19, 1879 – October 15, 1950) was a financial executive and businessman for DuPont and General Motors , and the builder of the Empire State Building . He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1928 to 1932 and a key supporter of Alfred E. Smith 's candidacy for President of the United States .
After Franklin D. Roosevelt became President, Raskob became a prominent opponent of the New Deal through his support of a number of anti-Roosevelt organizations such as the American Liberty League . Raskob was also a leader in the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment and a Treasurer for the Knights of Malta . [1] [2]
Raskob was born to John and Anna Frances (née Moran) Raskob, in Lockport, New York , where his father ran a successful cigar-production business. [3] His parents were of German and Irish descent, respectively. The Raskob family originated in the Eifel region in Germany. Raskob's grandfather was an emigrant from the village of Großlittgen in the Eifel. During his studies at both parochial and public schools, Raskob delivered newspapers, worked in seasonal agriculture, participated in local theater and was in