Senator Eric Schmitt Accuses Jack Smith of Perjury Over Basketball Game
Senator Eric Schmitt falsely accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury during a Senate hearing after confusing the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026, Eric Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury regarding his location on February 3, 2024. Schmitt alleged that Smith traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend an NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors to coordinate with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Schmitt called Smith a "total dirtbag" and claimed he had lied about his whereabouts.
Smith testified under oath that he did not attend an NBA game in Atlanta. He clarified that he was in College Park, Maryland, attending a women's basketball game between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the University of Maryland Terrapins to watch Caitlin Clark. Senator Amy Klobuchar corrected the record, noting that Schmitt had misinterpreted text messages from Smith's deputies referencing the "hawks" as the NBA team rather than the Iowa Hawkeyes. Klobuchar criticized Schmitt for relying on false information and suggested he owed Smith an apology.
Following the hearing, Schmitt maintained his position that Smith had lied and defended his conduct by stating it was his job to ask the questions. The hearing also covered Smith's investigations into Donald Trump's handling of classified documents and the January 6 Capitol assault. Some observers noted that right-wing media outlets had promoted the perjury narrative before the testimony began, suggesting a coordinated campaign of talking points.
