GOP senator airballs perjury claim against Jack Smith over apparent Hawks/Hawkeyes mix-up
Senator Eric Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury during a Senate hearing, claiming Smith attended an Atlanta Hawks game on a specific date. The accusation collapsed when it was revealed that the game in question was actually between the Hawks and the Golden State Warriors, and Smith denied attending any such event.
Why it matters
The incident illustrates the high-stakes, often contentious nature of political oversight hearings and the potential for factual errors to undermine legislative scrutiny.
His slam dunk was a brick. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., accused former special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday of committing perjury when he denied having attended a specific Atlanta Hawks basketball game in 2024 — to Smith’s apparent confusion. The attempted trick play happened during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Smith’s now-scuttled investigations into President Donald Trump. But it soon emerged that Schmitt had the wrong team. “Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 3, 2024?” Schmitt asked. “What city would that be in?” a confused-looking Smith replied. “Atlanta,” Schmitt responded. “No,” Smith responded.
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