Sen. Eric Schmitt Laughs Off His Questioning of Jack Smith That Backfired

John Berman (0:02)

Tonight, Schmitt Happens. John Berman here in for Anderson. In the Schmitt in question is Senator Eric Schmitt, Republican of Missouri. He's on the Senate Judiciary Committee. And today, former Trump Special Counsel Jack Smith was on the witness stand with committee Republicans painting him as the president so often does, as a corrupt and partisan gunslinger in a weaponized justice department out to get Donald Trump, and also a liar.

But before showing how the senator's own effort at it imploded, and before bringing you late new reporting on why it imploded, it is worth remembering this. Smith's investigation of the president's attempt to overturn the 2020 election and his taking of classified documents with him when he left the White House resulted in grand jury indictments on 44 felony counts. And though he followed long-standing DOJ policy and dropped the cases after the president's re-election in 2024, Smith today stood by his decision to bring charges in the first place.

Jack Smith (1:00)

I made those decisions without regard to President Trump's political association, activities, beliefs or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in serious crimes against our nation.

John Berman (1:23)

So Republicans on the committee made it plain they were not buying that. They also made it personal.

John King (1:30)

Javert from Les Mis would look at you with astonishment.

SPEAKER_4 (1:36)

You make me want to throw up in my mouth.

Eric Schmitt (1:39)

You will go down as a total dirtbag.

John Berman (1:44)

So that was Senator Schmitt dropping the dirtbag there. He said it after a line of questioning that seemed designed to either get Smith to admit to having been part of some kind of conspiracy with Atlanta District Attorney Foddy Willis against the president or to catch him in a lie about it. This is how it began.

Eric Schmitt (2:04)

Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on February 3rd, 2024?

Jack Smith (2:13)

I'm sorry, could you say that again?

Eric Schmitt (2:15)

Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on February 3rd, 2024?

Jack Smith (2:23)

What city would that be in?

Eric Schmitt (2:24)

Atlanta.

Jack Smith (2:25)

No.

Eric Schmitt (2:25)

Okay. So your testimony today is that you did not go to a Hawks game on February 3rd, 2024 Is that correct?

Jack Smith (2:37)

I have no recollection of that.

John Berman (2:38)

Okay. Now, it turns out there's a good reason he can't remember being there, but hold that thought for just a minute. First, here is Senator Schmitt again.

Okay.

Eric Schmitt (2:50)

Is it your testimony that you were not in Atlanta on February 3rd, 2024? Let me just give you a little context. The day before Fannie 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?

Jack Smith (3:10)

I do not believe so.

Eric Schmitt (3:11)

Okay. Did you ever go to Atlanta during your time as special counsel?

Jack Smith (3:19)

I really don't think so. It's possible I flew through the Atlanta airport on the way to Florida, but I do not have a recollection of going to Atlanta. I definitely did not go to a Hawks game.

Eric Schmitt (3:31)

I'm sure that. Did you ever meet Nathan Wade or Fannie Willis in your time as special counsel?

Jack Smith (3:38)

No.

Eric Schmitt (3:38)

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 3rd, 2024, the day after Willis and Wade announced their affair?

I don't think you know that we have this stuff. So I'll give you a second to process it so you don't perjure yourself.

Jack Smith (4:02)

You just took it down really quick. So I could look at that again.

John Berman (4:08)

So trap sprung. Not quite. It turns out Jack Smith was at a basketball game. This is video of him that night. Just not in Atlanta. This is from College Park, Maryland. The University of Maryland women's team, the Terrapins versus their counterparts from the University of Iowa, the Hawkeyes.

Not the Hawks. Something that Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar underscored moments later.

Amy Klobuchar (4:36)

The game was in fact in Maryland, Mr. Smith. And I would just say for a US. Senator to have information and imply based on a confusion about the name of a team, which I knew knowing my Midwestern sports and imply that you were in another city, that you were somehow involved that day in what was happening in Georgia. And then call you a dirt bag is something that deserves an apology.