On September 29, 2026, during a congressional hearing Senator Eric Schmitt (Republican-Missouri) questioned Jack Smith about his former prosecutions against Donald Trump.
At one point during his questioning Schmitt said:
Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on February 3, 2024?
Smith asks Schmitt to repeat the question, which he does.
Then Smith asks what city the game was in.
Schmitt says Atlanta.
Smith says no.
After asking Smith to confirm his testimony that he was not in Atlanta on that day (Smith says he has no recollection of that), Schmitt continues:
Let me just give you a little context. The day before Fani Willis came clean with her affair with the prosecutor, you know, the Atlanta prosecutor that was also trying to get Trump. The next day, were you in Atlanta?
Smith says "I do not believe so."
Schmitt continues:
Did you ever go to Atlanta in your time as special counsel?
Smith says "I really don't think so."
Schmitt continues:
Did you ever meet Nathan Wade or Fani Willis in your time as special counsel?
Smith answers emphatically "No."
Schmitt continues:
What would you say if I had a series of text messages from your team that said you were in Atlanta, at a Warrior/Hawks game, on February 3, 2024, the day after Willis and Wade announced their affair?
While Schmitt was talking, his cohorts briefly displayed a large poster with a supposed text message exchange between Smith and his team — supposed "proof" that Smith was in Atlanta the day in question.
Smith does not respond.
Schmitt continues:
I don't think you know that we have this stuff. So, I will give you a second to process so you don't perjure yourself.
Smith asks Schmitt to show the poster again.
Someone else (it sounds like it might be Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat-Illinois)) asks if Smith can be given a copy of what was on the poster so he can see it.
Instead of having the poster shown again, Schmitt says:
Well, I think you've already sufficiently answered the question. I want to run through... We'll put it in a file, you can respond. I think you've already perjured yourself.
Shortly thereafter, Senator Amy Klobuchar (Democrat-Minnesota) asks Schmitt if he is going to allow Smith to see the poster. She says that she couldn't see what was on the poster either because it was shown for such a short period of time. Then, she asks if Schmitt can give Smith a copy of what was on the poster.
The poster was then displayed again.
Smith says he recalls going to a University of Maryland (college) basketball game between Maryland and Iowa around the day in question.
Klobuchar responds, indicating that perhaps Schmitt has confused the Iowa Hawkeyes with the Atlanta Hawks.
Watch the entire exchange here.
Schmitt ended his questioning by calling Smith a "dirtbag," adding:
You may think you're a hero in this story, but let me tell you something. You're the villain
Source:
(September 29, 2026)"WATCH: Schmitt suggests Jack Smith perjured himself about a basketball game, but mixes up 2 teams". PBS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
Later in the day, Schmitt appeared on "The Charlie Kirk Show." The show host says:
Well, Jack Smith is a total dirtbag [the same thing Schmitt called Smith during the hearing], and um, you caught him out [it's clear he meant "called him out"] on this NBA game too, in Atlanta [Schmitt breaks into a smile]. I wanna, I wanna make sure we get to everything we're supposed to get to here senator [Schmitt says "yeah"], but it was a great moment, so good for you on that.
Schmitt didn't correct the record.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X in real time during the hearing saying:
Senator Eric Schmitt just CAUGHT Jack Smith perjuring himself on the stand in his testimony...Jack Smith is stunned.
For the record, Smith didn't appear stunned, he appeared perplexed and confused.
Source:
Tyler Cohen, Brian. (October 1, 2026)"Republican STORMS AWAY after "gotcha" on Jack Smith BACKFIRES ". YouTube. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
Commentary:
Obviously, Schmitt's questioning was an attempt to tie Smith to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis — who at one time was the special prosecutor leading the case against Donald Trump for his role in a 2020 election interference scheme in Georgia. Willis was disqualified from continuing the case after she admitted to having an affair with Nathan Wade which occurred the day before the NBA basketball game.
Based on his demeanor and tone of voice during his questioning, it's clear that Schmitt was convinced he had Smith "dead to rights," and that there was some kind of "collective conspiracy" in play between Smith and Willis.
But Schmitt was DEAD WRONG.
Schmitt didn't agree to have the poster shown again (and he said he would provide the information to Smith later in a file) because he knew from Smith's previous testimony that his entire bogus conspiracy theory was falling apart. If the poster had been shown again, then everyone watching the hearing (and others who might watch it later) would have seen Smith explain that the text messages were about something else, NOT Atlanta.
Schmitt also says "I think you've already perjured yourself."
That's a lie. Smith told the truth. As always, Trump and MAGA simply can't handle the truth.
Then, to "double-down" (like Trump does all the time), Schmitt passes on the opportunity to set the record straight on "The Charlie Kirk Show."
It's crystal clear that Schmitt, NOT Smith, is the REAL "dirtbag" and REAL "villian" here.
The entire verbal exchange between Schmitt and Smith is a prime example of what Trump and his MAGA sycophants do, ALL THE TIME!
Once again, with Trump/MAGA, objective reality takes a back seat to gross exaggeration, half-truths, gaslighting, and outright lies, all in order to achieve a radical political agenda.
Schmitt and all of the others who chimed in are so focused on taking down anyone or anything they see as threat to Trump that they don't seem to realize that the American electorate is paying attention. We are about five weeks out from the 2026 mid-term elections. Lying outright during a highly-publicized hearing is NOT a smart move. For anyone still "on the fence" as far as who they are going to vote for next month, this pathetic display just might be what turns them against Trump and Republicans.
This is more evidence that it's "US" vs. "THEM." If you don't believe that, if you care about our democracy I suggest you wake up and smell the coffee, NOW!
It's been that way for a long, long time, all because of Trump.