Todd Rutherford

American politician

Todd Rutherford
Minority Leader of the South Carolina House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded byHarry L. Ott Jr.
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 74th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 1, 1998
Preceded byAlma W. Byrd
Personal details
Born
James Todd Rutherford

(1970-10-10) October 10, 1970 (age 53)
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Naida Harris
​
​
(m. 2008; div. 2017)​
Megan Pinckney
​
(m. 2020)​
Children2
EducationHoward University (BA)
University of South Carolina, Columbia (JD)

James Todd Rutherford (born October 10, 1970 in Columbia, South Carolina) is an American politician and Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing the 74th District since 1999. He is the Minority Leader of the House.[1]

Early life and education

Rutherford graduated from W.J. Keenan High School in 1988. Rutherford earned his bachelor's degree from Howard University in 1992. He then worked as Legislative Assistant to Congressman Robin Tallon before earning his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1996.

Legal Work

After passing the bar, Rutherford worked as Assistant Solicitor and Special Prosecutor of Narcotic and Drug Cases in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office. In 1998, he founded the Rutherford Law Firm.

See Trial of Alex Murdaugh

In April 2023 Rutherford and Mark Moore became the new legal team for South Carolina banker Russell Laffitte, who faced state charges after his conviction as a co-conspirator with Alex Murdaugh in federal financial crimes.[2] The State trial has been deferred until 2024.[3]

South Carolina General Assembly

Rutherford was elected to the South Carolina General Assembly in 1998 to represent House District 74. He initially served on the Military, Medical and Municipal Affairs Committee before joining the Judiciary Committee in 2002. Rutherford currently serves on the Ways and Means Committee and the Ethics Committee. In 2013, Rutherford was elected Minority Leader.

Rutherford was named Young Democrat of the year in 1999.

In 2007 Rutherford introduced a bill to replace the Confederate battle flag with the South Carolina state flag. However, the bill never received a hearing.[4] In June 2015 the flag was removed with the overwhelming support of the House Democratic Caucus.[5]

Rutherford is a leading proponent of medical marijuana in the South Carolina General Assembly. In 2014, Rutherford filed the "Put Patients First Act," the first of its kind in South Carolina.[6]

Rutherford joined House members Deon Tedder and Roger Kirby in forming the Freedom Caucus of South Carolina, in contrast to the conservative SC Freedom Caucus.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Minority Leader J. Todd Rutherford". South Carolina Legislature online. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. ^ DeWitt, Jr., Michael M. (April 21, 2023). "What's next for Russell Laffitte, Curtis Edward Smith and alleged Alex Murdaugh accomplices?". Greenville News. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Tripp, Drew (September 20, 2023). "Russell Laffitte prison start date pushed back again". WCIV-TV. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Adcox, Seanna (June 20, 2015). "South Carolina legislator: Take down Confederate flag". AP. WoodTV8. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  5. ^ "South Carolina House votes to remove Confederate flag from statehouse grounds". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  6. ^ Hutchins, Corey. "With new legislation, activists hopeful S.C. will allow medical marijuana". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  7. ^ Williams, Lee (March 7, 2023). "Three legislators create "Freedom Caucus of South Carolina," members say caucus with similar name not doing its job". WOLO-TV. Retrieved March 13, 2023.

External links

  • official SC House website
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
  • Follow the Money – J. Todd Rutherford
    • 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 campaign contributions
South Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Minority Leader of the South Carolina House of Representatives
2013–present 		Incumbent
  • v
  • t
  • e
  • v
  • t
  • e
Majority leaders
▌Mark Wright (R)
▌David Moon (D)
▌Mike Moran (D)
▌Jamie Long (DFL)
▌[to be determined] (R)
▌Sue Vinton (R)
▌Ray Aguilar (R)*
▌Jason Osborne (R)
▌Mike Lefor (R)
▌Bill Seitz (R)
▌Jon Echols (R)
▌Ben Bowman (D)
▌Emily Long (D)
Federal districts:
Territories:
▌Rory Respicio (D)*
▌Ed Propst (D)
▌Kenneth Gittens (D)*
Political party affiliations
▌Republican: 28 states
▌Democratic: 21 states, 3 territories, 1 district
▌Popular Democratic: 1 territory
  • v
  • t
  • e
Minority leaders
▌Anthony Daniels (D)
▌James Gallagher (R)
▌Vic Miller (D)
▌Derrick Graham (D)
▌Matt Hall (R)
▌Kim Abbott (D)
Vacant*
▌Zac Ista (D-NPL)
▌Todd Rutherford (D)
▌Mike Yin (D)
Federal districts:
None*
Territories:
▌Chris Duenas (R)*
▌Patrick San Nicolas (R)
▌Dwayne DeGraff (I)*
Political party affiliations
▌Democratic: 27 states
▌Republican: 21 states, 2 territories
▌Independent: 1 state
▌ New Progressive: 1 territory
An asterisk (*) indicates a unicameral body.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Speaker of the House
Jay Lucas (R)
Speaker pro tempore
Tommy Pope (R)
Majority Leader
Gary Simrill (R)
Minority Leader
Todd Rutherford (D)
  1. ▌Bill Whitmire (R)
  2. ▌Bill Sandifer III (R)
  3. ▌Jerry Carter (R)
  4. ▌Davey Hiott (R)
  5. ▌Neal Collins (R)
  6. ▌April Cromer (R)
  7. ▌Jay West (R)
  8. ▌Don Chapman (R)
  9. ▌Anne Thayer (R)
  10. ▌Thomas Beach (R)
  11. ▌Craig A. Gagnon (R)
  12. ▌Daniel Gibson (R)
  13. ▌John R. McCravy III (R)
  14. ▌Stewart Jones (R)
  15. ▌JA Moore (D)
  16. ▌Mark N. Willis (R)
  17. ▌Mike Burns (R)
  18. ▌Alan Morgan (R)
  19. ▌Patrick Haddon (R)
  20. ▌Adam Morgan (R)
  21. ▌Bobby Cox (R)
  22. ▌Jason Elliott (R)
  23. ▌Chandra Dillard (D)
  24. ▌Bruce W. Bannister (R)
  25. ▌Wendell K. Jones (D)
  26. ▌Raye Felder (R)
  27. ▌David Vaughan (R)
  28. ▌Ashley Trantham (R)
  29. ▌Dennis Moss (R)
  30. ▌Brian Lawson (R)
  31. ▌Rosalyn Henderson-Myers (D)
  32. ▌Max Hyde Jr. (R)
  33. ▌Travis Moore (R)
  34. ▌Roger Nutt (R)
  35. ▌Bill Chumley (R)
  36. ▌Rob Harris (R)
  37. ▌Steven Wayne Long (R)
  38. ▌Josiah Magnuson (R)
  39. ▌Cal Forrest (R)
  40. ▌Joseph S. White (R)
  41. ▌Annie McDaniel (D)
  42. ▌Doug Gilliam (R)
  43. ▌Randy Ligon (R)
  44. ▌Mike Neese (R)
  45. ▌Brandon Michael Newton (R)
  46. ▌Heath Sessions (R)
  47. ▌Tommy Pope (R)
  48. ▌Brandon Guffey (R)
  49. ▌John Richard C. King (D)
  50. ▌Will Wheeler (D)
  51. ▌J. David Weeks (D)
  52. ▌Ben Connell (R)
  53. ▌Richie Yow (R)
  54. ▌Pat Henegan (D)
  55. ▌Jackie E. Hayes (D)
  56. ▌Tim McGinnis (R)
  57. ▌Lucas Atkinson (D)
  58. ▌Jeff Johnson (R)
  59. ▌Terry Alexander (D)
  60. ▌Phillip Lowe (R)
  61. ▌Carla Schuessler (R)
  62. ▌Robert Q. Williams (D)
  63. ▌Jay Jordan (R)
  64. ▌Fawn Pedalino (R)
  65. ▌Cody Mitchell (R)
  66. ▌David O'Neal (R)
  67. ▌G. Murrell Smith Jr. (R)
  68. ▌Heather Ammons Crawford (R)
  69. ▌Chris Wooten (R)
  70. ▌Jermaine Johnson (D)
  71. ▌Nathan Ballentine (R)
  72. ▌Seth Rose (D)
  73. ▌Chris R. Hart (D)
  74. ▌Todd Rutherford (D)
  75. ▌Heather Bauer (D)
  76. ▌Leon Howard (D)
  77. ▌Kambrell Garvin (D)
  78. ▌Beth Bernstein (D)
  79. ▌Ivory Torrey Thigpen (D)
  80. ▌Katherine D. Landing (R)
  81. ▌Bart T. Blackwell (R)
  82. ▌Bill Clyburn (D)
  83. ▌Bill Hixon (R)
  84. ▌Melissa Lackey Oremus (R)
  85. ▌Jay Kilmartin (R)
  86. ▌Bill Taylor (R)
  87. ▌Paula Rawl Calhoon (R)
  88. ▌RJ May (R)
  89. ▌Micah Caskey (R)
  90. ▌Justin Bamberg (D)
  91. ▌Lonnie Hosey (D)
  92. ▌Brandon Cox (R)
  93. ▌Russell Ott (D)
  94. ▌Gil Gatch (R)
  95. ▌Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D)
  96. ▌Ryan McCabe (R)
  97. ▌Robby Robbins (R)
  98. ▌Chris Murphy (R)
  99. ▌Mark Smith (R)
  100. ▌Sylleste Davis (R)
  101. ▌Roger K. Kirby (D)
  102. ▌Joseph H. Jefferson (D)
  103. ▌Carl Anderson (D)
  104. ▌William Bailey (R)
  105. ▌Kevin Hardee (R)
  106. ▌Val Guest (R)
  107. ▌Case Brittain (R)
  108. ▌Lee Hewitt (R)
  109. ▌Tiffany Spann-Wilder (D)
  110. ▌Tom Hartnett (R)
  111. ▌Wendell Gilliard (D)
  112. ▌Joe Bustos (R)
  113. ▌Marvin R. Pendarvis (D)
  114. ▌Gary Brewer (R)
  115. ▌Spencer Wetmore (D)
  116. ▌Matt Leber (R)
  117. ▌Jordan Pace (R)
  118. ▌Bill Herbkersman (R)
  119. ▌Leon Stavrinakis (D)
  120. ▌Weston J. Newton (R)
  121. ▌Michael F. Rivers Sr. (D)
  122. ▌Bill Hager (R)
  123. ▌Jeff Bradley (R)
  124. ▌Shannon Erickson (R)