Humiliated MAGA senator Eric Schmitt has made a cringeworthy comeback after his botched gotcha moment.
Schmitt attempted, and failed, to get former Special Counsel Jack Smith to perjure himself during a contentious Senate hearing on Tuesday.
The Missouri Republican grilled Smith about allegedly attending a basketball game in Atlanta on Feb. 3, 2024, between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks, amid mounting drama around the Atlanta-based criminal investigation into President Donald Trump, led by prosecutor Fani Willis.
Smith did go to a basketball game that day, but it was not the one Schmitt had claimed. Instead, Smith attended a game in College Park, Maryland, to see the Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball team play the Iowa Hawkeyes, led by Caitlin Clark.
Schmitt has been accused of confusing male and female basketball teams, the Hawks and the Hawkeyes, in his attempt to trap Smith.
Schmitt began damage control after the embarrassing moment, posting a cringe comeback on X, “Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan?”
Clark has unwillingly become involved in a racially charged MAGA culture war, despite condemning racist and misogynistic comments.
In July, Republican lawmakers threatened to send the Department of Justice after the WNBA unless it protected Clark against the physicality of Black players.
Schmitt later expanded on his point, attempting to downplay the humiliation when interviewed by CNN.
“We had information he was at a basketball game,” Schmitt said. “There was only one NBA game that night, at 7:30 tip-off, which is why I asked him if he was in Atlanta.”
“He answered the question. That’s what these hearings are for. You ask questions, you get answers.”
Schmitt added, “Smith has perjured himself before, but he says he’s at the game. Maybe he’s a Caitlin Clark fan. We’ll accept that.”
On the flip side, the Republican was praised for the cringeworthy episode during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show on Tuesday.
“Jack Smith is a total dirtbag, um, and you caught him out on this NBA game, too, by the way, in Atlanta,” Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet told Schmitt, as co-host Blake Neff nodded in agreement. “It was a great moment, so good for you on that.”
Hours before Tuesday’s embarrassing hearing, Schmitt’s name was mentioned as a potential running mate for JD Vance in 2028.
In an Axios piece, Schmitt was described as “trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator.”
