Eric Schmitt defends perjury trap airball at Jack Smith hearing: ‘Not a mistake’
Schmitt defended his questioning of Jack Smith after an apparent mix-up about which basketball game Smith attended.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYThe Washington Examiner is an established national outlet with an identified reporter, though its partisan reputation warrants some caution. This short report attributes statements to their speakers and supplies checkable details about the games.
- Source type — Established national news outlet; partisan orientation is a modest caution.
- Editorial standards — The report attributes key claims and provides specific, verifiable event details.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited.
The report includes statements from Schmitt and Klobuchar, Smith’s account, and details that clarify the basketball mix-up. It is concise and does not provide much context about the broader dispute or independent confirmation beyond the cited records and game schedules.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The story presents Schmitt’s explanation alongside criticism from Klobuchar and Smith’s account of the game he attended. It gives limited broader context for the investigation and does not independently explore the underlying allegations.
- Counterarguments presented — Schmitt’s defense appears alongside Klobuchar’s criticism and Smith’s response.
- Source diversity — The article includes comments from both senators and Smith, but the range of perspectives is limited.
- Loaded language — Some descriptions emphasize the error, though most claims are attributed.
The report is largely factual but uses mildly critical descriptions of Schmitt’s questioning, including calling it an attempt that fell flat. It includes his defense as well as Klobuchar’s criticism, with no pronounced ideological framing.
- Language tone — Terms such as “fell flat” and “flub” frame Schmitt’s questioning critically.
- Source selection — The article quotes Schmitt’s defense and Klobuchar’s criticism, along with Smith’s account.
- Framing — The focus is Schmitt’s apparent mix-up and response, rather than a broader partisan argument.
Sen. Eric Schmitt defended his questioning of former special counsel Jack Smith after confusing an Atlanta Hawks game with an Iowa women’s basketball game Smith said he attended. Sen. Amy Klobuchar criticized Schmitt for suggesting Smith had traveled to Atlanta and warning him about perjury.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Schmitt cited text messages about a “Hawks” game to question whether Smith had been in Atlanta and met with former Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Smith said the game he remembered attending was Iowa versus Maryland in College Park, and said Department of Justice records could corroborate his attendance. The article notes that the Atlanta Hawks played that night as well.
After the hearing, Schmitt said he had not made a mistake and explained that he had asked whether Smith was in Atlanta. Klobuchar said Schmitt had accused Smith of perjury and called him a “dirtbag” despite relying on incorrect information. Smith testified that he did not meet with Willis or prosecutor Nathan Wade. [p8]
Community verdict
7 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Senator who questioned Jack Smith about whether he had been in Atlanta
Senator who criticized Schmitt’s questioning
President whose federal investigation was part of the broader scrutiny discussed
Part of a bigger story
10 OUTLETSOutlets agree that at a Senate hearing, Eric Schmitt questioned Jack Smith about an Atlanta Hawks game, while Smith said he attended an Iowa Hawkeyes game instead. The exchange centered on a mix-up over which game the messages referred to. Left-leaning outlets frame the episode as a failed gotcha, stressing the mix-up and, in some coverage, unverified information or potential Republican political fallout. Center outlets focus on the error and Schmitt’s defense, alongside criticism from other senators and the moment’s viral attention. Right-leaning outlets also stress the accusation’s unraveling, while highlighting the viral reaction and, in one column, its implications for Schmitt’s political prospects.
- ARTICLES
- 19
- OUTLETS
- 10
- AVG CRED
- 68
- Mediaite · GOP Senator Was Reportedly Warned His So-Called Evidence Was ‘Unvetted’ Before It Backfired in Viral Moment
- Alternet.org · Schmitt knew his 'facts' on Smith were unreliable — but didn't care: report
- Raw Story · Eric Schmitt was warned about unvetted Jack Smith 'gotcha' texts before blunder: report
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