GOP Senator Was Reportedly Warned His So-Called Evidence Was ‘Unvetted’ Before It Backfired in Viral Moment

Screenshot via C-SPAN

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) was reportedly warned that the evidence behind his disastrous attempt to corner former special counsel Jack Smith had not been verified — but he chose to use it during Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing anyway.

According to a Wednesday report from MS NOW, Republican Judiciary Committee staff told Schmitt’s team that text messages provided by the Justice Department were “unvetted.” The report cited “a source with direct knowledge of the conversation.”

Schmitt had sought material that could potentially establish a link between Smith’s investigation into President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ Georgia probe. After his office showed interest in the messages, committee staff gave his team access while cautioning that they were responsible for verifying the information.

Schmitt nevertheless deployed the texts during his questioning of Smith, arguing they showed the former special counsel attended an Atlanta Hawks game on Feb. 3, 2024 — and suggesting his presence in Georgia could point to coordination with Willis.

“I definitely did not go to a Hawks game,” Smith said. “I’m sure of that.”

Schmitt responded confidently, “I think you’ve already perjured yourself.”

The dramatic accusation quickly unraveled, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) pointing out that Schmitt had apparently confused the Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Footage posted by MeidasTouch shows that Smith did indeed attend an Iowa-Maryland women’s college basketball game that night.

MS NOW reported that even the seat number referenced in the text messages did not exist at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena.

The outlet also added that Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) staff had prepared a memo of significant information ahead of Smith’s appearance but left the texts out. Grassley’s staff also did not provide the messages to Democratic senators before the hearing.

The moment has since exploded online, with even the likes of Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume and CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings admitting Schmitt was at fault.

Schmitt, though, maintained during Tuesday questioning by TMZ DC that he wasn’t embarrassed by the flub and that his questions were valid because Smith has “lied before.”

When told that video exists showing the former special counsel at a women’s college basketball game in Maryland on the night in question, the Republican senator hit back, “Great. Well, then he was at the Hawkeyes game. I just asked him if he was in Atlanta.”

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