Sen. Eric Schmitt’s attempt to corner Jack Smith instead produced what CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins called one of the most memorable moments in Capitol Hill testimony history. The Missouri Republican’s questioning quickly unraveled over a basketball game.

Schmitt set out to suggest that Smith, the former special counsel who investigated Donald Trump, had committed perjury. He tried to connect Smith with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis through what he presented as evidence about Smith’s whereabouts.

According to Schmitt’s claim, Smith attended an Atlanta Hawks game in February 2024. There was one glaring problem with the senator’s setup: Smith had not attended that game.

Smith was instead at an Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball game in Maryland. Schmitt had confused the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes, turning his attempted interrogation into a painfully public lesson in checking team names.

The reaction inside the hearing only deepened the embarrassment. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, Schmitt’s Republican colleague, was spotted looking mortified as the mistake became clear.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called Schmitt out over the error. Schmitt then left the hearing after his questioning failed to establish what he had set out to prove.

Collins walked viewers through the four minute sequence Tuesday on CNN’s The Source. Her assessment was blunt about where the spectacle belonged in the unofficial record book of congressional blunders.

“It is easily one of the most classic moments in Capitol Hill testimony history,” Collins said.

CNN reported that Schmitt, 51, had overlooked the possibility that Smith could have been attending a women’s basketball game. His research instead focused on an NBA game with a 7:30 tipoff.

Schmitt later responded to CNN with a wisecrack about Smith and the player associated with the Iowa Hawkeyes. “Who knew Jack Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan?”

The senator also explained how he reached the mistaken conclusion. His account centered on information about a basketball game and the existence of only one NBA game that night.

“Listen, we had information was at a basketball game. There was only one NBA game that night at 7:30 tip-off, which was why I asked him if he was in Atlanta,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt argued that hearings are intended for asking questions and getting answers. He said Smith answered the question and suggested that perhaps Smith was a Caitlin Clark fan, adding that he would accept the answer.

Despite the conspicuous failure of his accusation, Schmitt has not apologized. He also called Smith a “dirtbag,” even as the basketball mixup consumed the attention surrounding his questioning.

The spectacle arrived after Schmitt had been floated as a potential running mate for JD Vance in 2028, if the vice president launches a candidacy. An Axios piece had offered a notably polished description of the Missouri senator.

That piece described Schmitt as “trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator.” The hearing provided Collins and her CNN guest with very different material to discuss.

Collins examined the Senate flop with Democratic strategist Paul Begala, who described Schmitt’s questioning as both “feeble” and “stupid.” Begala said he was glad the episode happened because it revealed what he sarcastically called Schmitt’s intellectual stature.

“I‘m glad he did it, OK? Because now we can see what a mental giant Sen. Schmitt is,” Begala joked.

Begala also attacked the decision to hold the hearing at all, pointing to prices for gas, diesel and ground beef with 35 days remaining before the election. He contrasted those concerns with Republicans focusing their attention on Smith.

“It’s spectacularly stupid, I have to say. On top of that, having the hearing at all is spectacularly stupid,” Begala said.

He noted that gas was $4.50 a gallon, diesel was $6.50 a gallon and ground beef was $6.92 a pound. Meanwhile, Republicans were targeting Smith while apparently failing to distinguish between the Atlanta Hawks and Iowa Hawkeyes.

“That’s just too much. If you thought that people wanted change and were sick of Republicans before this hearing, they‘re going to be a lot more sick of them after,” Begala said.

Schmitt’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The unanswered request left Collins’ brutal assessment as the cleanest verdict on a questioning sequence that went spectacularly sideways.