Robert William 'Bobby' Harrell Jr. is an American politician and businessman from South Carolina. Born on March 7, 1956, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina. After graduation, Harrell entered the insurance industry, opening his own agency representing State Farm Insurance in 1980. In 2010, following his father's death, he combined his agency with his father's in Harrell Square, a shopping center. Harrell's political career began in 1992 when he was elected as a Republican to represent District 114 in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served until 2014. He quickly rose through the ranks, chairing the freshmen caucus in 1993 and becoming Speaker of the House in 2005, a position he held until his resignation in October 2014 amid ethics investigations. As Speaker, Harrell wielded significant influence in South Carolina politics, overseeing legislative agendas and committee assignments during a period of Republican dominance. His tenure ended controversially when he stepped down to focus on an ethics probe by the state attorney general. Harrell faced allegations of misusing campaign funds for personal expenses, including private plane travel and sporting event tickets, leading to a plea deal in 2017 where he admitted to six counts of misuse of funds and was sentenced to one year of house arrest. Post-politics, Harrell has continued to operate his insurance agency in Charleston, maintaining a low public profile while reflecting on his legacy as a key figure in state GOP politics.