Thomas E. “Tommy” Pope is a South Carolina attorney and elected official who has served in the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2010 and as Speaker Pro Tempore since 2014. Before entering state politics, Pope served as Solicitor for the 16th Judicial Circuit from 1993 to 2006, where he gained national attention for prosecuting Susan Smith in the 1995 murder case involving her two young sons. The case became one of the most widely followed criminal prosecutions in the country and established Pope as a prominent figure in South Carolina’s legal community. He has remained actively involved in the case for decades, including speaking against Smith’s parole during her 2024 hearing and continuing to advocate for the victims’ family.
