Schmitt's perjury accusation

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, claiming Smith lied about attending a specific basketball game.

The game in question

Schmitt asked Smith whether he attended an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on February third, twenty twenty-four. Smith said no, he did not go to a Hawks game.

“I definitely did not go to a Hawks game. I'm sure of that.”

The timing and context

Schmitt noted the date was the day after Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, announced her romantic relationship with a prosecutor in her criminal case against Trump.

Schmitt produces evidence

Schmitt said he had text messages from Smith's team saying Smith was in Atlanta at a Warrior-Hawks game on February third, twenty twenty-four. A staffer held up a poster board with three text messages.

Schmitt's accusation escalates

Schmitt told Smith he had already perjured himself and said Smith would go down in history as a total dirtbag. Smith complained he had not gotten to look at the poster board properly.

“a total dirtbag”

Smith's actual game

Smith said the only game he remembered attending around that time was a University of Maryland basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes featuring star player Caitlin Clark on February third, twenty twenty-four.

Klobuchar confirms the details

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., checked the date and confirmed Iowa played Maryland on February third, twenty twenty-four. Iowa won ninety-three to eighty-five, and Caitlin Clark scored over thirty points. The game was in Maryland.

“Iowa, the Iowa Hawkeyes, played Maryland on Feb. 3, 2024. The final score was 93-85. Iowa won, and Caitlin Clark scored over, scored 30 points”

Klobuchar's rebuke

Klobuchar chided Schmitt for mixing up the Hawks and the Hawkeyes and said a U.S. senator having false information and calling Smith a dirtbag based on that confusion deserved an apology.

Schmitt refuses to apologize

Schmitt did not apologize. Asked by NBC News afterward whether he still thought Smith had perjured himself, he said that would be up to a prosecutor to determine and his job was to ask questions.

“We'll find out. That's going to be up to a prosecutor to determine. My job here today was to ask questions and get answers.”

Right-wing praise despite the error

Despite the flub, some right-wing commentators praised Schmitt. Pro-Trump influencer Benny Johnson posted that Schmitt caught Smith perjuring himself and pulled out receipts, though the post appeared to be taken down by late afternoon.

Schmitt doubles down on air

Schmitt later appeared on The Charlie Kirk Show, where hosts praised him for a great moment. He said Smith sat there acting dumbfounded and claimed it was the only NBA or NCAA men's game in Atlanta at that time.

Schmitt's final post

On Tuesday night, Schmitt posted on X, "Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan?" The post appeared to acknowledge the mix-up while maintaining his critical stance toward Smith.

“Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan?”