During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026, Republican Senator Eric Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury, claiming text messages placed Smith at an Atlanta Hawks NBA game to collude with Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis. The accusation collapsed when Smith clarified he was actually in Maryland watching the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team play, exposing an embarrassing team mix-up by Schmitt.
Accusations of perjury and collusion
- ▪Senator Eric Schmitt claimed to possess text messages proving Jack Smith attended an Atlanta Hawks NBA game in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 3, 2024, the day after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade
- ▪Jack Smith testified during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026 that he never traveled to Atlanta while serving as special counsel and did not meet with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis or special prosecutor Nathan Wade
- ▪During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026, Senator Eric Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of committing perjury regarding his whereabouts on February 3, 2024
- ▪Senator Eric Schmitt suggested that Jack Smith's alleged presence in Atlanta on February 3, 2024, indicated collusion between the special counsel's office and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to prosecute Donald Trump
The Atlanta Hawks and Iowa Hawkeyes mix-up
- ▪Senator Amy Klobuchar pointed out during a Senate hearing that Senator Eric Schmitt had mixed up the NBA's Atlanta Hawks with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, who played Maryland on February 3, 2024
- ▪Jack Smith clarified during a Senate hearing that on February 3, 2024, he attended a women's college basketball game between the University of Maryland and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes in College Park, Maryland, to watch star player Caitlin Clark
- ▪Senator Amy Klobuchar confirmed during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026 that the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Maryland Terrapins 93-85 on February 3, 2024, in Maryland, with Caitlin Clark scoring over 30 points
Schmitt's defense of his questioning
- ▪Following a Senate hearing, Senator Eric Schmitt posted on X, "Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan?", and acknowledged to KTVI St. Louis that he and Smith could agree on being fans of college basketball
- ▪Senator Eric Schmitt argued that his line of questioning about Jack Smith's whereabouts was justified because an Atlanta Hawks game was the only NBA or NCAA men's basketball game with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff on February 3, 2024
Debatable claims
- ▪Senator Schmitt should apologize to Jack Smith for his false perjury accusation
- ▪The special counsel's office coordinated with Fulton County prosecutors to target Donald Trump
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