The Bulwark · Sep 29, 2026 · 8:40
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Sam Stein and Andrew Egger give their takes on Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt’s disastrous attempt to catch former special counsel Jack Smith in a perjury trap during a Senate Judiciary hearing. Schmitt thought he had a smoking gun showing Smith was in Atlanta for a Hawks game on the same day as a controversy involving Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. But there was one problem: Smith wasn’t at the Hawks game. The text messages Schmitt’s team found were apparently referring to the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, who were playing in Maryland that same day.Sen. Amy Klobuchar quickly pointed out the apparent mix-up, while Schmitt continued to defend his questioning even after accusing Smith of perjury. Sam and Andrew also discuss the poor timing of this faceplant after Axios reported that Eric Schmitt was being floated as a possible running mate for JD Vance in 2028.