Senator Admits Confusion Over Basketball Teams During Smith Hearing

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) asked former special counsel Jack Smith about whether he attended a specific basketball game in February 2024, referring to it as an Atlanta Hawks game. The question was aimed at exploring whether Smith had met with the local district attorney who was investigating election-related matters involving then-former President Donald Trump.

Smith firmly denied attending such a game, stating he was certain he had not been to an Atlanta Hawks matchup. In response, Schmitt suggested Smith may have committed perjury and used strong language to characterize him, though some of his remarks were deemed too crude for morning broadcast.

The error was later clarified by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who pointed out that Smith had, in fact, attended a college basketball game that evening but in College Park, Maryland — not Atlanta. The contest featured the University of Maryland Terps against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, featuring star player Caitlin Clark.

Klobuchar noted the mix-up between the team names and urged her colleague to verify facts before making serious accusations. “I think people should have their facts straight before they accuse people,” she said.

The confusion over sports team names is not uncommon, as many professional franchises share similar identities across different cities and leagues. However, the nature of Schmitt’s mistake left some wondering whether it was an innocent slip or part of a strategy to undermine Smith’s credibility.

In a subsequent interview with KTVI-TV in St. Louis, Schmitt avoided directly admitting fault but acknowledged shared interest in college athletics. He also failed to correct the record on several key details: the Iowa Hawkeyes won the game 93–85, Clark scored 38 points, and many fans likely remember where they were when watching the matchup.