Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives for for 16 terms, a district including most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as well as some of the Texas Hill Country. He is a member of the Republican Party. He sponsored the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act (PCIP). He also co-sponsored the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act.
As the head of the House Science Committee, Smith has been criticized for his denial of, and promotion of conspiracy theories about, climate change and for receiving funding from oil and gas companies. He is a former contributor to Breitbart News, a website known for publishing dubious claims about climate change.
In November 2017, Smith announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and not seek re-election in 2018. In 2021, Smith registered as a lobbyist for the surveillance firm HawkEye 360 on behalf of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. In 2022, he officially registered as a foreign agent.
Early life, education, and legal career Smith attended a private high school, then called Texas Military Institute, now known as TMI — The Episcopal School of Texas, and graduated in 1965.US Rep Lamar Smith in 1965 at TMI. myalamoheights.com. Retrieved on 2016-01-3. He then earned a B.A. in American Studies from Yale University (1969)Even Presidential Science Advisers Can Give Boring Lectures. sciencemag.org. Retrieved on 2016-01-3. and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University (1975).
In 1969, Smith was hired as a management intern by the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C.Representative Lamar S. Smith. Independenceave.org. Retrieved on 2012-02-15. He was a business and financial writer for the Christian Science Monitor (1970–1972), was admitted to the Texas bar in 1975, and went into private practice in San Antonio with the firm of Maebius and Duncan, Inc.
State politics In 1978, he was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Bexar County. In 1980, Smith was elected to the Texas House of Representatives representing Bexar County, the 57th District. He served on the Energy Resources Committee and the Fire Ants Select Committee.Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Member profile. Lrl.state.tx.us. Retrieved on 2012-01-09. In 1982, he was elected to the 3rd Precinct of the Bexar County Commissioners Court and served from 1983 to 1986.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections 1986 In 1986, four-term incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Tom Loeffler of Texas's 21st congressional district decided to retire to run for governor of Texas. Smith led a crowded six-way primary with 31% of the voteTX District 21 – R Primary Race – May 03, 1986. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09. and then defeated Van Archer in the run-off election 54–46%.TX District 21 – R Runoff Race – Jun 07, 1986. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09. He won the general election with 61% of the vote.TX District 21 Race – Nov 04, 1986. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09.
1988–2002 During this time period, he never won re-election with less than 72% of the vote.
2004
Smith's district was significantly altered in the 2003 Texas redistricting. While he lost most of the Hill Country to the 23rd District, he picked up a significant portion of Austin, including the area around the University of Texas, a traditional bastion of liberalism. Smith won re-election with 62% of the vote, Smith's lowest winning percentage since his initial run in 1986.TX – District 21 Race – Nov 02, 2004. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09.
2006
In 2006, the Supreme Court of the United States threw out the 23rd District in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry on the grounds that it violated the rights of Latino voters. The 23rd is the largest district in the nation (not counting the at-large districts), stretching across 800 road miles from El Paso to San Antonio. Due to its size, nearly every district in the El Paso-San Antonio corridor had to be redrawn. Smith regained most of the Hill Country, but kept a large portion of his share of Austin, including the area around the University of Texas.
In November 2006 the Texas Legislative CouncilGary Martin, "Courage, other veterans speak out against Bush", San Antonio Express-News, February 8, 2006. found that nearly two-thirds of voters in District 21 cast ballots for statewide Republican candidates in 2004. In the November 2006 open election, Smith faced six candidates. He defeated Democrats John Courage and Gene Kelly 60–24–9%.Greg Jefferson, "Remap is looking good for incumbent Smith", San Antonio Express-News, September 3, 2006. TX – District 21 Race – Nov 07, 2006. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09. This was Smith's lowest winning percentage of his career.
2008
He only faced one candidate, Libertarian nominee James Arthur Strohm, and defeated him with 80% of the vote.TX – District 21 Race – Nov 04, 2008. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09.
2010
He faced two candidates, Democratic nominee Lainey Melnick and Libertarian nominee James Arthur Strohm, and won with 69% of the vote.TX – District 21 Race – Nov 02, 2010. Our Campaigns. Retrieved on 2012-01-09.
2012
Smith faced five challengers in the 2012 general election on November 6, 2012: Candace Duval (Dem), John-Henry Liberty (Lib), Fidel Castillo (Grn), Bill Stout (Grn), and Carlos Pena (Ind). He won the race with 63% of the vote.
2014
Smith won re-nomination to fifteenth House term in the Republican primary held on March 4, 2014. He received 40,262 votes (60.4 percent). His runner-up was Matt McCall (born c. 1963) of San Antonio, with 22,596 votes (33.9 percent). Michael J. Smith polled the remaining 3,772 votes (5.7 percent).
2016
Smith won re-nomination to a sixteenth term in the House in the Republican primary held on March 1. He received 69,872 votes (60.1 percent). Running against him once more was Matt McCall, who drew 33,597 votes (28.9 percent). McCall polled 11,000 more votes than he did in 2014, but his percent went down because of higher turnout. Two other candidates held the remaining 11 percent of the ballots cast.
Smith faced the Democrat Tom Wakely (born c. 1953) of San Antonio in the November 8 general election. Smith (Republican) won with 57.0%; Tom Wakely (Democratic) got 36.5%; Mark Loewe (Libertarian) got 4.1%; and Antonio Diaz (Green) got 2.4%. It was easily the closest race of Smith's career, and the closest since the GOP began its current run in the district; Loeffler won his first term in 1978 with 57 percent of the vote.
Tenure Abortion Smith has consistently supported restrictions on abortion. In 2009, Smith voted to prohibit federally funded abortions. In 2006, Smith voted for the Abortion Pain Bill, which would "ensure that women seeking an abortion are fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child", and the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would "prohibit taking minors across State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions". In 2008, the National Right to Life Committee, an anti-abortion advocacy group, gave Representative Smith a rating of 100 on a point system in which points were assigned for actions in support of legislation they described as pro-life.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) On April 23, 2006 CNET reported that Smith was introducing a bill that "would expand the DMCA's restrictions on software that can bypass copy protections and grant federal police more wiretapping and enforcement powers".Declan McCullagh, "Congress readies broad new digital copyright bill", CNET, April 24, 2006. The move sparked a negative response among technology enthusiasts in opposition to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Marijuana Smith is a strong opponent of marijuana legalization; as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Lamar blocked committee consideration of the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011, a bill to repeal the federal prohibition on marijuana and allow the states to set laws on cultivation, sales, use, and taxation. Smith stated that "marijuana use and distribution – has a high potential for abuse" and that "decriminalizing marijuana will only lead to millions more Americans becoming addicted to drugs and greater profits for drug cartels who fund violence along the U.S.-Mexico border."Tony Pierce, "Marijuana bill officially introduced to Congress by Ron Paul, Barney Frank", Los Angeles Times June 23, 2011.
Donations In 2011 Smith had received $37,250 in campaign contributions from the Beer, Wine and Liquor Lobby,Lamar Smith: Campaign Finance/Money – Summary – Representative 2012. OpenSecrets. Retrieved on 2011-11-16. and $65,800 total between 2009 and 2011. He received more than $133,000 from the Content Industry, including Industry groups and individual companies through mid-2011. Another $60,000 was donated by these companies in the 2012 Election Cycle. Opensecrets.org, Retrieved on 2012-22-02. Maplight.org listed the Beer, Wine, and Liquor Lobby as third among Smith's top ten campaign contributors, and Content Industry as #1.Lamar Smith (R-TX) U.S. House | MAPLight.org – Money and Politics . MAPLight.org. Retrieved on 2011-11-16.
Leahy–Smith America Invents Act In 2011 Smith co-sponsored the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act, a bill that made significant changes to the U.S. patent system.Jackson, Leahy, Smith and Ryan named policymakers of the year, Politico, Published 2011-11-29, Accessed 2012-02-01. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama on September 16, 2011. The law will switch U.S. rights to a patent from the present first-to-invent system to a first inventor-to-file system for patent applications filed on or after March 16, 2013.
Space Launch Liability Indemnification Extension Act On November 20, 2013, Smith introduced the Space Launch Liability Indemnification Extension Act (H.R. 3547; 113th Congress), a bill that would extend until December 31, 2014, the current limitation on liability of commercial space launch companies. Under the current system, the space launch company is liable for any damages up to $500 million, after which the U.S. Government will pay the damages in the range of $500 million to $2.7 billion. Above $2.7 billion, the company is again responsible.
STEM Education Act of 2014 On July 8, 2014, Smith introduced the STEM Education Act of 2014 (H.R. 5031; 113th Congress), a bill that would add computer science to the definition of STEM fields used by the United States federal government in determining grants and education funding. Smith said that "we have to capture and hold the desire of our nation's youth to study science and engineering so they will want to pursue these careers. A health and viable STEM workforce, literate in all STEM subjects including computer science, is critical to American industries. We must work to ensure that students continue to go into these fields so that their ideas can lead to a more innovative and prosperous America."
Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) On October 26, 2011, Smith introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261), also known as SOPA. The bill sought to expand the ability of U.S. law enforcement to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods. SOPA faced significant opposition from internet freedom advocacy groups and web companies, and on January 15, 2012, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor cancelled a planned vote on the bill.
Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers (PCIP) Act