Robert Jubelirer

The son of a prominent county judge, Jubelirer attended Pennsylvania State University and the Dickinson School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in Blair County, Pennsylvania and practiced law for several years before entering politics.

He was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1974 to represent the Altoona area. He was elected Majority Leader in 1981. Jubelirer served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 1985 to 1992. After serving briefly as Minority Leader from 1992 to 1994, he again became President Pro Tempore.

In a 2002 PoliticsPA Feature story designating politicians with yearbook superlatives, he was named the "Hardest Working."{{cite web| title = Keystone State Yearbook Committee| work = PoliticsPA| publisher = The Publius Group| year = 2001| url = http://www.politicspa.com/yearbookcommittee.htm| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20020803170058/http://www.politicspa.com/yearbookcommittee.htm| archive-date = 2002-08-03| url-status = dead}}

When Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge resigned on October 5, 2001 to become President Bush's Homeland Security Advisor, Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker ascended to the governorship.

By provision of the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1968, Jubelirer as President Pro Tempore was automatically elevated to Lt. Governor and sworn in the same day. Jubelirer's elevation to the office was not without controversy, as he retained his position in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Critics and political foes argued that this violated the separation of powers principle and threatened the checks and balances guaranteed in the state constitution.{{cite news|title=State senator to handle two roles, Republican officials say the new lieutenant governor will be able to keep his seat. The decision has critics.|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EEE486389B984BE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|accessdate=March 30, 2013|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=September 29, 2001}}

A lawsuit was filed by State Rep. John Lawless, Joseph Wiedemer and Leechburg Area School Board member Charles A. Pascal, Jr. to block Jubelirer's simultaneous service in the Senate and the executive branch, but the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court rejected the argument and issued a per curiam decisionLawless v. Jubelirer, 811 A.2d 974 (Pa. 2002) allowing Jubelirer to hold both offices simultaneously. Jubelirer continued in both offices until January 21, 2003 when Schweiker's term expired. He declined to accept the Lt. Governor's salary during his term.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

In May 2006, Jubelirer was defeated in the Republican primary by Blair County Commissioner John Eichelberger. He, along with Chip Brightbill, the Senate majority leader, were the first top-ranking Pennsylvania legislative leaders to lose a primary election since 1964.{{cite news|first=John|last=Baer|author-link=John Baer (journalist)|url=http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/14597854.htm|title=Astonishing defeats for Jubelirer, Brightbill|publisher=Philadelphia Daily News|date=May 17, 2006}} The defeat was attributed primarily to his role in drafting a legislative pay raise bill in July 2005.{{cite news|first=Ed|last=Blazina|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06137/690794-179.stm|title=Pay raise backlash ousts top legislators|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=May 17, 2006}}

Jubelirer initially defended the raise. However, after internal polling showed his support falling, he opened discussion of a repeal of the unvouchered expense provision. However, newspapers reported that he[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/specialreports/capitalcash/s_396332.html]{{dead link|date=June 2017}} tried to block efforts to repeal the entire raise. In the wake of the controversy, the Senator issued a statement in which he called the pay raise a "mistake" ... I apologized for it in my district. I now think it was the wrong thing to do. Hindsight is 20-20. I'm not shifting the blame to anybody. I accept the responsibility." He pledged to return the money he had received from the unvouchered expense account.{{cite news|first=Tom|last=Barnes|author-link=Tom Barnes (American journalist)|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05315/604645.stm|title=Top Senate Republican backtracks on legislative pay hike|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=November 11, 2005}}

During the campaign, Jubelirer's more conservative challengers attacked him on abortion. Despite statements during the 2006 campaign that he was anti-abortion, Jubelirer's opposition to the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act and{{cite web |url=http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS023294&type=category&category=Abortion%20Issues |title=Project Vote Smart - Senator Jubelirer - Interest Group Ratings |accessdate=2006-04-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218195355/http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS023294&type=category&category=Abortion%20Issues |archive-date=2006-02-18 }} a "pro-choice" rating by both the National Abortion Rights Action League and Planned Parenthood were used by opponents to counter his arguments. He told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he was "a pro-choice Republican" and that he did not support the Republican platform on abortion.[http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/14185/edition_id/275/format/html/displaystory.html Hostein, Lisa GOP Jews aim to show they're not an oxymoron], Jewishsf.com, August 4, 2000. Jubelirer's initial annual pension was $90,934.{{cite news|first=Tracie|last=Mauriello|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07082/771905-85.stm|title=Jubelirer gets $90,934 pension|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=March 23, 2007}}

{{Election box begin|title=Pennsylvania Senate, District 30: May 2006 Primary Election[http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=13&ElectionID=20&OfficeID=12#30 ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626065506/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=13&ElectionID=20&OfficeID=12 |date=2008-06-26 }}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = John Eichelberger

| votes = 15,445

| percentage = 43.9

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Robert Jubelirer

| votes = 12,662

| percentage = 36.0

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Arnold McClure

| votes = 7,097

| percentage = 20.2

| change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

Jubelirer attempted a comeback of sorts, seeking a seat on the Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees. Despite an endorsement from former Gov. Tom Ridge, Jubelirer finished a distant sixth place, failing to earn one of the three seats.{{cite web|url=http://news.psu.edu/story/275890/2013/05/03/penn-state-board-trustees-election-results-announced |title=Penn State Board of Trustees election results announced | Penn State University |website=News.psu.edu |date=2013-05-03 |accessdate=2017-06-30}}{{cite news|url=http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/570944/Endorsing-Jubelirer.html?nav=737 |title=News, Sports, Jobs |newspaper=Altoona Mirror |accessdate=2017-06-30}} He was elected to The Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.psu.edu/trustees/members/jubelirer.html |title=Penn State University - Board of Trustees |website=Psu.edu |accessdate=2017-06-30}}

• 2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy
• Drew Crompton
• List of Pennsylvania state legislatures

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikisource-inline|Lawless v. Jubelirer}}

• [http://www.palobbyingservices.state.pa.us/Act134/Public/ViewRegistration.aspx?id=346 Jubelirer's Lobbyist Registration Statement], palobbyingservices.state.pa.us; accessed June 30, 2017.

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{{Succession box | before=Mark Schweiker | title=Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania | years=2001–2003 | after=Catherine Baker Knoll}}

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{{Succession box | before=Stanley Stroup| title= Member of the Pennsylvania State Senate
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Category:1937 births

Category:Living people

Category:Lieutenant governors of Pennsylvania

Category:Republican Party Pennsylvania state senators

Category:Presidents pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate

Category:Pennsylvania lawyers

Category:Jewish American state legislators in Pennsylvania

Category:Dickinson School of Law alumni

Category:Politicians from Altoona, Pennsylvania

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:20th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly