The Aporia · Sen. Schmitt’s Failed Attack on Jack Smith

On a recent Senate Judiciary hearing, Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt attempted to question former Special Counsel Jack Smith about an NBA game in an effort to potentially set up a perjury trap. However, the exchange failed when Smith confirmed he did not attend the specified game on February 3rd, 2024, as Schmitt had suggested. The podcast discussion highlights how this move by Schmitt was intended to generate political leverage against Smith but instead fell short of achieving its viral and sensational goals.

Written by AI on 2026-10-02, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

On Tuesday, former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley to defend his two criminal investigations into President Donald Trump. Republicans accuse Smith of abusing authority and politically targeting Republicans, while Democrats support him for standing up against Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents. The hearing, titled "Oversight of Jack Smith’s Abuse of Authority and the Targeting of Republicans," also involves scrutiny over subpoenas issued by Smith's office, which were aimed at disrupting certification of Joe Biden's victory in 2020, ultimately leading to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Smith has insisted his decisions were made without political bias and said he would not be silenced despite threats from Trump's Justice Department.

Written for “Jack Smith Testifies Before Senate” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 34 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Jack Smith Testifies Before Senate

Politics · 35 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

This article reads leans right and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Lawmaker’s stunned face and other viral moments cap rough week for political class Same event

Fox News

Hedges 0 of 24 claims Outlet record 68/100

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The Bulwark

⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 0 of 10 claims

Up Schmitt Creek Same event

The Dispatch

⚖️ Leans right Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 61/100

Fallout grows after Sen. Schmitt's Hawks-Hawkeyes blunder at Jack Smith hearing Same event

CBS News

Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 65/100

What voters are most concerned about heading into midterms and Jack Smith faces Senate GOP on Trump Jan. 6 probe Different event

NBC News

⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 1 of 47 claims Outlet record 78/100

“Article A discusses general voter concerns and Jack Smith facing questions about his investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, while Article B focuses on Senator Eric Schmitt's attempt to set a perjury trap for Jack Smith during Capitol Hill testimony.”

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The Dispatch

Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 61/100

“The articles discuss different topics: one about ideological fights within conservatism and the other about a failed perjury trap attempt by Sen. Schmitt.”

Not a MAGA Court Different event

The Dispatch

Hedges 3 of 66 claims Outlet record 61/100

“The articles discuss different topics and events: one focuses on a legal analyst's discussion about election challenges and Supreme Court decisions, while the other covers Senator Eric Schmitt’s attempt to set a perjury trap for Jack Smith.”

Political Shifts are Teaching The GOP a Brutal Lesson (w/ Will Saletan) Different event

The Bulwark

⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 0 of 11 claims

“The articles discuss different aspects of a broader political context and do not specifically focus on the same exact incident or time frame.”

Jack Smith and the Republican Smear Squad Different event

The Bulwark

⚖️ Leans strongly left further left than this Hedges 5 of 71 claims

“Article A discusses Jack Smith's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he distinguished between Trump and honest Republicans. Article B mentions Senator Eric Schmitt’s attempt to set a perjury trap for Jack Smith during Capitol Hill testimony, which appears to be referring to a different specific event or later development.”

Politics Chat, October 6, 2026 Different event

Letters from an American

Hedges 0 of 1 claims

“Article A discusses Senator Schmitt's attempt at setting a perjury trap for Jack Smith, while Article B does not describe any specific political incident and appears to be an announcement or introduction to a live recording or podcast.”

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I mean, when, when I have normie friends of mine who have nothing to do with politics, who have actual real jobs, where they, they can't just pay attention to the conversation of what's going on every day in Washington on Capitol Hill, when I'm getting texts from them saying, "Have you seen this congressional hearing?" you know it's a good one.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-02

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Sen. Schmitt’s Failed Attack on Jack Smith · assertive framing

Mike Warren is joined by Jonah Goldberg and Kevin Williamson to discuss Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt’s failed attempt at setting a perjury trap and the Trump administration’s AI luncheon. asserted

Warren → join → trap

The Agenda: —What happened to Capitol Hill staff? —The GOP’s victory lap —The superintelligence rebrand —Trump’s AI luncheon [instrumental music] asserted

What → happen → lap

On today's roundtable, we discuss Senator Eric Schmitt's attempt to catch former Special Counsel Jack Smith in a perjury trap during Capitol Hill testimony this week, and President Trump's meeting with artificial, sorry, super intelligence business leaders and their pact with the administration to, quote, "self-regulate," unquote. asserted

we → discuss → administration

I'm joined today by Dispatch Editor-in-Chief, Jonah Goldberg, and National Correspondent, Kevin Williamson. asserted

I → join → Chief

Let's dive in. asserted

's → let → ?

Well, it feels like it's been a long time since we've had a congressional hearing that has turned into some kind of, I don't know, sensation, internet meme. asserted

I → feel → meme

it → mean → hearing

Of course, I'm talking about the Senate Judiciary hearing earlier this week, which was intended to be a kind of Republican grilling of Jack Smith, the former special counsel who was leading the investigations into Donald Trump during the Biden administration. asserted

who → talk → administration

And this was, I think, in a lot of ways set up to give Republicans something to crow about, to be able to go on cable news and say, "See, we really stuck it to, you know, enemy number one at this point for Donald Trump." asserted

you → think → Trump

And I, I think that's what Eric Schmitt, the Republican senator from Missouri, thought he was doing when he was in his line of questioning of Jack Smith. asserted

he → think → Smith

I think he was hoping for something viral. asserted

he → think → something

I don't know if he was going for virality in this way. asserted

he → know → way

Can we roll the clip of what exactly happened, and then we'll explain a little bit more if it needs explaining. asserted

it → roll → more

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

you → go → 3rd

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

you → go → 3rd

Sen. Schmitt’s Failed Attack on Jack Smith

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