Full Breakdown
Senate Hearing Turns Basketball Mix-up Into a Perjury Dispute
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29 2026, Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury for denying that he attended an Atlanta Hawks–Golden State Warriors game on February 3 2024. Schmitt displayed a poster of text messages he said placed Smith in Atlanta and called the special counsel a “dirtbag.” Smith said he had no recollection of being in Atlanta and insisted he was elsewhere.
Background & Context
Schmitt’s line of questioning linked Smith’s whereabouts to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting former President Donald Trump in Georgia. Willis had recently disclosed a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, intensifying scrutiny of the state election-interference case. Schmitt framed the alleged Atlanta trip as a possible coordination point between Smith’s federal investigations and Willis’s probe.
Data & Statistics
- February 3 2024 – The Atlanta Hawks beat the Golden State Warriors 141-134.
- The same day a women’s college basketball game in College Park, Maryland saw the Iowa Hawkeyes defeat the Maryland Terrapins 93-85, with Caitlin Clark scoring 38 points.
Official Statements & Responses
- Sen. Eric Schmitt asserted his staff possessed texts showing Smith at the Hawks game and warned Smith not to “perjure yourself.” He later said the matter should be left to prosecutors.
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) confirmed the Maryland-Iowa game’s date and score, criticized Schmitt for “having false information,” and said an apology was warranted.
- Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) called the exchange a “false narrative” aimed at portraying Smith as lying.
Criticism & Opposition
Klobuchar’s rebuke highlighted the factual error at the heart of Schmitt’s accusation. She stressed that a senator should verify basic details—such as the difference between “Hawks” and “Hawkeyes”—before levying serious charges. Her demand for an apology underscored Democratic concerns that the hearing was being used for partisan attacks rather than oversight.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 3, 2024?” — Sen. 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
- “Before calling someone a ‘dirtbag,’ the Senator should have had his facts straight. An apology is in order,” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar
- “I think you've already perjured yourself,” — Sen. Eric Schmitt
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Text-message content – Some outlets reported the messages referenced “hawks” without specifying a location; others suggested they implied an Atlanta venue. The exact wording has not been released.
- Schmitt’s evidence – The poster board was removed quickly, and Smith was not allowed to review the full content. Senate staff later indicated the texts related to a seat reservation for the Maryland-Iowa game, not the Atlanta arena, leaving a factual gap.
Why It Matters
The episode shows how factual inaccuracies can derail congressional oversight, especially when the issue intersects with high-stakes political investigations. The misidentification of sports teams shifted media focus from substantive questions about Smith’s investigations of former President Trump to a procedural spectacle, raising doubts about the efficacy of partisan probing in Senate hearings.
