{"id":2672698,"date":"2026-09-29T12:07:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T16:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/eric-schmitts-jack-smith-grilling-runs-into-basketball-mix-up\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T12:11:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T16:11:28","slug":"eric-schmitts-jack-smith-grilling-runs-into-basketball-mix-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/eric-schmitts-jack-smith-grilling-runs-into-basketball-mix-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Eric Schmitt\u2019s Jack Smith grilling runs into basketball mix-up"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Feric-schmitts-jack-smith-grilling-runs-into-basketball-mix-up%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2672698&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Eric Schmitt questioned former special counsel Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about whether Smith attended an Atlanta Hawks basketball game in Georgia on February 3, 2024, as Schmitt claimed. Smith denied attending the game and said he attended a different game between Maryland and Iowa, with the U.S. Marshals Service present. Schmitt suggested Smith was lying, implying perjury, but Smith maintained his account, and senators discussed potential confusion over the game\u2019s details. The exchange highlighted ongoing Republican scrutiny of Smith\u2019s investigation tactics and alleged connections between the Justice Department, the White House, and local prosecutors involved in cases against Donald Trump. The dispute centered around whether Smith\u2019s activities and connections were properly coordinated or politically motivated.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Eric Schmitt\u2019s (R-MO) effort to place former special counsel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jack-smith\/\">Jack Smith<\/a> in Atlanta amid the Fani Willis controversy hit a snag on Tuesday when Smith said the basketball game he remembered attending featured <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/caitlin-clark\/\">Caitlin Clark<\/a> in Maryland, not a supposed NBA game in the Peach State.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exchange during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> Judiciary Committee\u2019s under-oath hearing revealed Schmitt had apparently confused the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nba\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"493\">NBA\u2019s<\/a> Atlanta Hawks with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<style>.explore-more-section { background: var(--wex-bg); border-top: 1px solid #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #ffffff; margin: 24px 0; margin-top: -20px; }<\/style>\n<style id=\"mos-8fc0a04e-12c1-421d-8592-639dda55e51f-style\">@scope (#mos-8fc0a04e-12c1-421d-8592-639dda55e51f) { .we-meter {   --we-red: #DB3745;   --we-charcoal: #323E48;   --we-blue: #15BEF0;   --we-slate: #85A0AB;   --we-gold: #ECC270;   --we-text: #323E48;   --we-border: #85A0AB;    max-width: 800px;   margin: 0 auto;   padding: 1.5rem;   border: 1px solid rgba(33, 39, 42, 0.4);   border-radius: 12px;   background: #fff;   color: var(--we-text);   font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; }  .we-grid {   display: grid;   grid-template-columns: 1fr 200px;   gap: 1.5rem;   align-items: center; }  .we-title {   margin: 0 0 0.5rem;   font-family: Constantia, \"Lucida Bright\", \"DejaVu Serif\", Georgia, \"serif\" !important;   font-size: 1.75rem !important;   line-height: 1.1 !important;   letter-spacing: -0.02em !important; }  .we-title span {   display: block;   color: var(--we-red); }  .we-copy {   margin: 0;   font-size: 1rem !important;   line-height: 1.4 !important; }  .we-actions {   text-align: center; }  .we-cta {   display: flex;   align-items: center;   justify-content: center;   gap: 8px;   width: 100%;   padding: 12px 16px;   border-radius: 8px;   background: var(--we-red);   color: #fff !important;   text-decoration: none;   font-size: 0.9rem !important;   font-weight: 700 !important; }  .we-arrow {   font-size: 1.2em !important; }  .we-member {   margin: 12px 0 0;   font-size: 0.85rem !important;   line-height: 1.4 !important; }  .we-member a {   color: var(--we-red);   text-decoration: none; }  @media (max-width: 600px) {   .we-grid {     grid-template-columns: 1fr;     gap: 1rem;   }   .we-meter {     padding: 1.25rem;   }   .we-cta {     padding: 14px;   } } }<\/style>\n<p><script>if (typeof CSSScopeRule == 'undefined') { const style = document.getElementById('mos-8fc0a04e-12c1-421d-8592-639dda55e51f-style'); if (style) { style.textContent = style.textContent.replace(\/^@scope (#mos-8fc0a04e-12c1-421d-8592-639dda55e51f) { \/, '').replace(\/}$\/, '');}}<\/script><\/p>\n<div id=\"mos-8fc0a04e-12c1-421d-8592-639dda55e51f\" style=\"display: contents;\">\n<section class=\"we-meter\" aria-label=\"Washington Examiner subscription meter\">\n<div class=\"we-grid\">\n<div>\n<h2 class=\"we-title\">Stay informed.<span>Stay ahead.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"we-copy\">                  Join Washington Examiner for unlimited access to the news, analysis, and commentary that matter most.       <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"we-actions\">       <a class=\"we-cta\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/subscribe\/digital\/\">         <span>See Options<\/span>         <span class=\"we-arrow\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u203a<\/span>       <\/a>       <\/p>\n<p class=\"we-member\">Already a member? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/sign-in\/\">Log in<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\">Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), left, and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) display a sign accusing former special counsel Jack Smith of meeting with Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Sept. 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The committee is holding the hearing to examine Smith\u2019s investigation into Donald Trump. (Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/GettyImages-2297723221.jpg?w=696&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/GettyImages-2297723221.jpg?w=696&#8243; alt=&#8221;Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), left, and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) display a sign.&#8221; class=&#8221;wp-image-4746836&#8243; style=&#8221;width:696px;height:auto&#8221;  ><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), left, and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) display a sign accusing former special counsel Jack Smith of meeting with Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Sept. 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The committee is holding the hearing to examine Smith\u2019s investigation into Donald Trump. (Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schmitt, who was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/09\/29\/eric-schmitt-jd-vance-vice-president-vp-2028\">floated this week<\/a> to be a possible vice presidential contender in a potential 2028 presidential run with Vice President JD Vance, asked whether Smith attended a Golden State Warriors-Atlanta Hawks game on Feb. 3, 2024, connecting the date to Willis\u2019s acknowledgment of a relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor who led the Georgia racketeering case against President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith denied attending a Hawks game and said he did not believe he had visited Atlanta as special counsel, aside from possibly connecting through its airport. He also denied meeting Willis or Wade during his tenure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schmitt then invoked messages he said placed Smith at the game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think you know that we have this stuff, so I\u2019ll give you a second to process it,\u201d Schmitt said, warning Smith against perjuring himself.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith requested another look at the display. Schmitt moved on, saying, \u201cI think you\u2019ve already perjured yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After Schmitt concluded his questioning by calling Smith a \u201ctotal dirtbag,\u201d Democrats pressed for the witness to receive a copy and respond.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Capitol, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Allison Robbert)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/AP26272531500553.jpg?w=696&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/09\/localimages\/AP26272531500553.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.&#8221; class=&#8221;wp-image-4746837&#8243;  ><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Capitol, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Washington. (Allison Robbert\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith offered a different explanation. He remembered attending a University of Maryland game against Iowa around that time, with the U.S. Marshals Service accompanying him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was Maryland playing Iowa,\u201d Smith said, adding that the date could be checked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/amy-klobuchar\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"683\">Amy Klobuchar<\/a> (D-MN) identified the potential source of confusion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCould it then be that University of Iowa\u2019s the Hawkeyes?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Klobuchar later pointed out that the schedules fit both games. Iowa beat Maryland 93-85 in College Park <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/hawkeyesports.com\/news\/2024\/02\/3\/hawkeyes-outlast-terps\">on Feb. 3, 2024<\/a>, with Clark scoring 38 points. The Hawks also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/game\/0022300699\">hosted the Warriors<\/a> that day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schmitt maintained that the messages raised questions about potential coordination with prosecutors in Atlanta.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Klobuchar later returned to the dispute after confirming the Iowa-Maryland game\u2019s date and score, saying the accusation meant Smith deserved an apology.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans have long questioned whether the Biden White House and Justice Department coordinated with local prosecutors pursuing Trump, including Willis. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/chairman-jordan-demands-documents-and-communications-fani-willis-associate\">Billing records<\/a> cited by House Judiciary Republicans show Wade charged for a \u201cconf. with White House Counsel\u201d on May 23, 2022, and an \u201cInterview with DC\/White House\u201d on Nov. 18, 2022 \u2014 the day then-Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith as special counsel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4746372\/jack-smith-deputy-advocated-repealing-congressional-protections-prior-january-6\/\">JACK SMITH DEPUTY ADVOCATED \u2018REPEALING\u2019 CONGRESSIONAL PROTECTIONS PRIOR TO JAN. 6<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The basketball conversation briefly interrupted a hearing focused on Smith\u2019s investigations of Trump, leaving senators arguing over whether an attempted confrontation about Georgia prosecutors instead concerned a women\u2019s college basketball game in Maryland that Smith instead attended.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans are scrutinizing the aggressive tactics Smith used to investigate Trump and his allies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Schmitt\u2019s claim about Smith\u2019s game attendance confused Maryland with Atlanta<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2672699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297723221.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7142,42964,32463,38118,5894],"class_list":["post-2672698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-basketball","tag-eric-schmitt","tag-jack-smith","tag-legal-controversy","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297723221.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2672698"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2672701,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2672698\/revisions\/2672701"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2672699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2672698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2672698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2672698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}