The Senate Judiciary Committee convened this week on Capitol Hill for a routine testimony by former special counsel Jack Smith. What began as a standard inquiry quickly shifted into a cross-party dispute over a basketball game that Smith allegedly attended in February 2024.
Schmitt’s line of questioning
Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri directed the first question toward Smith’s whereabouts on the night of a supposed Atlanta Hawks game. Schmitt suggested the former special counsel had met a district attorney in Atlanta who was leading the election-fraud probe against the former president. “Did you go to an Atlanta Hawks basketball game in February 2024?” he asked. Smith responded decisively, “I definitely did not go to a Hawks game, I am sure of that.” Schmitt immediately replied, “I think you’ve already perjured yourself,” before labeling Smith a “villain” and adding a string of disparaging epithets.
Klobuchar’s correction and the factual record
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota intervened, demanding clarification. She pointed out that the only basketball event Smith attended that night took place in College Park, Md. where the University of Maryland Terrapins faced the Iowa Hawkeyes. The matchup featured star guard Caitlin Clark who poured in 38 points, and concluded with Iowa winning 93-85. Klobuchar noted, “That might be the confusion over the names of the team, but perhaps you should have looked at it more carefully. I think people should have their facts straight before they accuse people.”
After-the-fact statements and political implications
The following day, Schmitt appeared on KTVI-TV in St. Louis, reiterating that his office possessed “information, of course, about him being at a basketball game.” He framed his role as simply asking questions while Smith’s job was to answer them. In an almost reluctant concession, Schmitt added, “But I guess the one thing that Jack Smith and I can agree on is that we’re a fan of college sports and college basketball.” The comment fell short of an outright admission of error, leaving observers to wonder whether the mix-up was a genuine slip—akin to former Vice President Dan Quayle’s notorious misspelling of “potato”—or a tactical effort to undermine Smith’s credibility.
Regardless of intent, the episode underscores how easily a simple sports reference can become a flashpoint in a politically charged environment. The factual record is clear: Smith was not at an Atlanta Hawks game; he was in College Park watching a college basketball contest in which the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated Maryland 93-85, with Caitlin Clark posting a 38-point performance.
