Fireworks as MAGA senator hurls 'dirtbag' slur at Jack Smith — then gets schooled
Klobuchar said Schmitt had confused the two teams and urged him to get his facts straight before accusing Smith.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYRaw Story is an established digital news outlet that publishes named, bylined reporting, though its political coverage is often framed from a clear perspective. The article identifies its author and reports an identifiable public hearing, but the available text does not establish its correction practices.
- Source type — An established digital news outlet, though its political coverage can be strongly framed.
- Author attribution — The article names an author.
- Editorial standards — The report describes a public hearing and attributes statements to participants; the text gives limited evidence of broader verification.
- Correction history — No correction-practice information is evident in the article.
The article gives specific questions and answers from a public hearing and explains the apparent team-name confusion. It offers useful direct quotations, but gives little independent detail about the messages Schmitt displayed or additional context from Smith.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Schmitt's questions and his explanation of the text messages, as well as Smith's denials and Klobuchar's correction. However, it does not provide further examination of the messages or a fuller account of Schmitt's basis for his claim.
- Counterarguments presented — Schmitt's explanation and objections are quoted, alongside Smith's denials and Klobuchar's challenge.
- Source diversity — The account draws chiefly on statements from the hearing participants.
- Loaded language — The headline uses a dismissive phrase to characterize the exchange.
- Omitted context — The article does not independently detail or assess the text messages Schmitt displayed.
The report's framing is unfavorable to Schmitt, emphasizing his insult and apparent factual error; the headline's “gets schooled” wording is especially loaded. The article does include his statements, but gives Klobuchar's correction the final word.
- Headline — The phrase “gets schooled” frames Schmitt as having been decisively corrected.
- Language tone — The headline foregrounds the insult and describes the accusation as false.
- Framing — The account centers on Schmitt's apparent mistake and Klobuchar's rebuttal.
At a Senate hearing, Eric Schmitt called former special counsel Jack Smith a “dirtbag” while questioning him about an Atlanta basketball game. Amy Klobuchar said Schmitt had confused the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes, and challenged him to get his facts straight.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Schmitt asked Smith whether he had attended an Atlanta Hawks game in February 2024 or met Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis there. Smith said he had done neither. Schmitt showed text messages he said supported his claim and called Smith a “dirtbag.”
Klobuchar said Schmitt appeared to have confused the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes, a game Smith acknowledged attending around that time. She told Schmitt he should have his facts straight before making the accusation. Schmitt objected to her intervention and said the messages could relate to coordination with his office in Atlanta.
Community verdict
5 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Senator who challenged Schmitt's account during the hearing.
Senator who questioned Jack Smith and accused him of undermining public trust.
Schmitt's version of this story ↗Subject of the Justice Department investigations Smith led.
Part of a bigger story
5 OUTLETSAt a Senate hearing, Eric Schmitt questioned Jack Smith about an alleged Atlanta basketball game. Amy Klobuchar said Schmitt may have confused the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Left-leaning outlets foreground Schmitt's insult alongside Klobuchar's correction. Center outlets focus on the possible team mix-up and Klobuchar's challenge to Schmitt's account.
- ARTICLES
- 5
- OUTLETS
- 5
- AVG CRED
- 68
- Los Angeles Times · Commentary: Senator flubs gotcha moment by mixing up sports teams. A woman steps in to correct him
- The Independent · Senator reveals the moment she knew viral Jack Smith gotcha was a slow-mo train wreck
- We Got This Covered · Eric Schmitt accused Jack Smith of perjury at a Senate hearing. Then Amy Klobuchar called out a glaring error in his accusation: 'Deserves an apology'
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