Video from a statement by Eric Schmitt
Sen. Eric Schmitt asks former special counsel Jack Smith about an NBA game in Atlanta, Smith answers, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar responds, at the Senate Judiciary Committee's Sept. 29, 2026 hearing.
Excerpt from about 1:50:45 to 1:57:57 of the Senate Judiciary Committee's archived video of the hearing. The C-SPAN recording cited for this source shows the same exchange. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Clip runtime 0:00-7:11. Sen. Schmitt's opening question and the text-message poster exchange run from 0:00-1:35. Jack Smith's Maryland-Iowa clarification and Sen. Klobuchar's on-the-record correction run from approximately 5:20-7:11.)
After Klobuchar said Schmitt was calling a witness a dirtbag, Schmitt said he had presented Smith with text messages about Smith wanting to meet with people that "could have obviously been related to the prosecution that was coordinated with his office in Atlanta." After Klobuchar said people should have their facts straight before accusing someone of being a dirtbag and get the teams right, Schmitt said, "I stand by that statement." He did not say which statement he meant.
“I presented him with text messages about him wanting to meet with people that could have obviously been related to the prosecution that was coordinated with his office in Atlanta. ... I stand by that statement.”