Full Breakdown
Senate Hearing Highlights Misidentified Basketball Game Amid Broader Scrutiny of Jack Smith
By Drooid · · How we work
The Misidentified Game and Its Immediate Fallout
During a February 3, 2024 line of questioning, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) asked former special counsel Jack Smith whether he had attended an NBA matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks, linking the date to a recent disclosure by Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis. Smith said he had no recollection of being in Atlanta and that his travel that day was limited to a possible airport layover. He clarified he had been at a college basketball game in Maryland featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes and the University of Maryland, where star guard Caitlin Clark scored 38 points.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) interjected, suggesting Schmitt had confused the NBA’s Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes. She noted the Iowa-Maryland game took place on February 3, 2024, with a final score of 93-85 in Iowa’s favor. Schmitt responded angrily, calling Smith a “dirtbag.”
- “I don’t think you know that we have this stuff, so I’ll give you a second to process it,” — Eric Schmitt
- “I think you’ve already perjured yourself,” — Eric Schmitt
- “I really don’t think so. It’s possible I flew through the Atlanta airport on the way to Florida, but I do not have a recollection of going to Atlanta. I definitely did not go to a Hawks game,” — Jack Smith
Background: Jack Smith’s Investigations and Republican Pushback
Smith was appointed special counsel in November 2022 to oversee two DOJ probes of former President Donald Trump: alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Both investigations produced indictments that were later dismissed after Trump’s 2024 reelection, citing DOJ policy barring prosecution of a sitting president.
Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have framed Smith’s work as a partisan “weaponization” of the Justice Department. Chair Sen. Jim Jordan (R-OH) referred Smith to the Justice Department, alleging that Smith gave misleading answers about the scope of records obtained from members of Congress.
Data & Statistics
- February 3, 2024 – Iowa Hawkeyes defeated Maryland 93-85; Caitlin Clark scored 38 points. (Rolling Stone, The Hill)
- Smith’s team obtained toll-record data for several Republican senators. Jordan’s allegation adds that the team also secured text-message contents from 44 lawmakers via a subpoena to the National Archives.
Official Statements & Responses
Klobuchar emphasized that Schmitt’s line of questioning relied on “false information” and demanded an apology for the “dirtbag” label. Jordan’s written referral described Smith’s answers about toll records as “misleading” given the separate text-message subpoena.
Criticism & Opposition
Republican critics argue that Smith’s acquisition of congressional communications exceeded DOJ authority and violated the Speech or Debate Clause. Grassley and Jordan have called for a criminal referral, alleging that Smith’s actions constitute a “partisan weapon” that broke procedural rules. Democratic members, including Klobuchar and ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), have defended Smith, describing the hearings as an attempt to “rewrite history” and to intimidate a career prosecutor.