Full Breakdown
Eric Schmitt’s “Gotcha” Question Backfires in Senate Judiciary Hearing
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Misidentified Basketball Game Leads to Perjury Claim
During a Tuesday Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) asked former special counsel Jack Smith whether he had attended an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 3, 2024. Schmitt showed a poster of texts he said proved Smith was in Atlanta, implying a link to Fulton County DA Fani Willis’s election-interference case against former President Donald Trump. Smith denied ever being at an Atlanta Hawks game and said he had been at a University of Maryland women’s basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in College Park, Maryland. The “Hawks” versus “Hawkeyes” mix-up collapsed Schmitt’s line of questioning and drew immediate criticism.
Background & Context: Senate probe and 2028 vice-presidential speculation
The hearing was part of Senate oversight of Smith’s two criminal investigations into Trump. Earlier that day, an Axios profile noted Schmitt as a possible running-mate for JD Vance should Vance launch a 2028 bid, raising his national profile. The failed “gotcha” moment quickly eclipsed that speculation.
Official Statements & Responses
- Jack Smith reiterated his recollection of the Maryland-Iowa game, noting Marshals accompanied him and that star forward Caitlin Clark played. He said, “I definitely did not go to a Hawks game.”
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) confirmed the Iowa Hawkeyes beat Maryland 93-85 on Feb. 3, 2024, with Clark scoring over 30 points. She criticized Schmitt for presenting false information and calling Smith a “dirtbag,” saying an apology was warranted.
- Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) called showing a document to a witness without letting them see it “terrible” and said the larger problem was Schmitt’s factual inaccuracy.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) described the episode as “abysmal” and urged senators to “do their homework.”
- Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) mocked the premise, labeling the questioning “sketchy.”
Schmitt defended his approach in a post-hearing interview, saying the information he received indicated only one NBA game that night and that any perjury determination should be left to prosecutors. He has not apologized.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic senators uniformly condemned the episode. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said the committee had been “witness to a false narrative.” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) accused the Republican majority of “gaslighting” the public. Legal analysts noted that failing to verify basic facts undermines investigative credibility.
Conservative commentators initially praised Schmitt, with influencer Benny Johnson posting that the senator had “caught Jack Smith perjuring himself.” Both Johnson’s post and a similar tweet by Fox News host Sean Hannity were later deleted after the error became clear. Schmitt later appeared on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” where the host framed the exchange as a “great moment,” despite bipartisan criticism.
Timeline
- Tuesday – Senate Judiciary hearing; Schmitt questions Smith about the alleged Hawks game.
- Later Tuesday – Smith clarifies attendance at the Maryland-Iowa women’s game; Klobuchar confirms details.
- Following day – Dasha Burns (Politico) reports Schmitt withdrew from a scheduled C-SPAN appearance with Sen. Chris Coons.
- Subsequent hours – Conservative posts praising Schmitt are deleted; Schmitt appears on “The Charlie Kirk Show.”