REPRESENTATIVE LAMAR SMITH (R-TX) Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary Joined committee: 19971 Assumed leadership: 2007 Elected

to Congress: 1986 Formed PAC: 2004 Rep. Smith served as ranking member of the committee from 2007 to 2010 before assuming the chairmanship in 2011. Over the past seven election cycles, as his seniority on the committee rose, contributions from judiciary industries to Rep. Smith increased at a rate far outpacing his total contributions. Campaign Contributions from the Judiciary Sector 1998 Election Cycle $20,350 $512,975 2010 Election Cycle $120,950 $1,673,879 % Change 494% 226%

Industry Contributions Total Contributions

During the 2008 election cycle the first election cycle after Rep. Smith assumed a leadership position on the committee contributions from judiciary industries decreased by 32% from the previous cycle, from $201,339 to $137,700. Total contributions decreased by 16% during the same time period, from $1,919,251 to $1,616,990. During the 2006 election cycle, contributions from judiciary industries increased by 125% over the previous cycle, from $89,419 to $201,339. Total contributions increased by 81% during the same time period, from $1,060,030 to $1,919, 251. During the 2010 election cycle, contributions from judiciary industries accounted for 7% of the $1,673,879 in total contributions received by Rep. Smiths campaign committee and PAC. During the 1998 election cycle, judiciary industries accounted for 4% of the $512,975 in total contributions received by Rep. Smiths campaign committee.

CREW reviewed the online editions of the Congressional Directory from the U.S. Government Printing Offices available from the 105th Congress (1997-1998) through the 111th Congress (2009-2010). Therefore, the Congress member has been a member of the committee since at least 1997 and possibly earlier.

Campaign Contribution highlights from industries regulated by the Committee2 The Commercial Banks industry donated nearly nine times more money to Rep. Smith during the 2010 election cycle than during the 1998 election cycle, increasing its contributions from $6,850 to $59,550. The Lawyers/Law Firms industry donated more than four times more money to Rep. Smith during the 2010 election cycle than during the 1998 election cycle, increasing its contributions from $13,500 to $61,400.

Votes on Judiciary Issues From 2007-2008, Rep. Smith voted on average 51% in agreement with the industries regulated by the Judiciary Committee. The average Republican voted in agreement with the industries 48% of the time. From 2009-2010, Rep. Smith voted on average 57% in agreement with the industries regulated by the Judiciary Committee. The average Republican voted in agreement with the industries 52% of the time. Since January 2011, Rep. Smith has voted on average 71% in agreement with the industries regulated by the Judiciary Committee. The average Republican has voted in agreement with the industries 59% of the time.

Voting history for industries regulated by the Committee3 Rep. Smith cast 20 votes on issues relevant to the Commercial Banks industry from 20072008. He voted in agreement with the industry 65% of the time. In contrast, the average Republican cast 19 votes on Commercial Banks issues and voted in agreement with the industry 52% of the time.

This section highlights committee industries that significantly increased their donations to the committee leader between the 1998 and 2010 election cycles. 3 This section highlights instances during the 110th-112th Congresses when the committee leader voted more favorably on industry issues than the average party member. In some instances, committee leaders voted more often on issues relevant to their industry than the average party member.
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