Did Josh Hawley say he would charge Jack Smith with perjury?
Did Sen. Eric Schmitt catch Jack Smith lying under oath with texts placing him at an Atlanta Hawks game?
True
Hawley’s statements about Smith are true but are presented as opinions.
Yes, Senator Josh Hawley accurately stated during a Senate hearing that he would charge Jack Smith with perjury and called for Smith's disbarment. The statements are opinions, not legal findings.
GenuineClaims
✓ 3 true"I'd charge Jack Smith with perjury."12
Senator Hawley explicitly stated this during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026. The televised transcript confirms it verbatim. This is a reflection of Hawley's personal judgment rather than a legal conclusion about Jack Smith.
"He should certainly be disbarred."12
This statement closely follows the first claim, also made by Hawley during the Senate hearing. The transcript and other media consistently capture this statement, indicating its authenticity as part of Hawley’s expressed opinions in the session.
"This must never happen again in the United States of America."12
While paraphrased, this sentiment was indeed expressed by Hawley during his remarks at the hearing. The wording was noted in the transcript, showcasing the continuity in his rhetoric about preventing similar actions in the future.
What was posted
XJosh Hawley shared a statement on Twitter about Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, referencing charges and disbarment.
“I'd charge Jack Smith with perjury. He should certainly be disbarred. This must never happen again in the United States of America”
Who posted it
XAccount check
Estimates from public signals — account age, posting pattern, audience — not a judgement of the person behind the account, and separate from whether this post is true.
What stood out
- The handle '@HawleyMO' is associated with U.S. Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri, who has been active on Twitter since February 20, 2014, with over 690,000 followers and more than 5,700 tweets as of July 24, 2023. (speakrj.com)
- The account has been verified by Twitter, confirming its authenticity as Senator Hawley's official profile.
- Recent tweets from '@HawleyMO' include discussions on AI surveillance networks and support for workers on strike at the General Motors plant in Wentzville, Missouri. (forth.news)
Signals (3)+
- Posting cadence
- Active
- Notable news coverage
- AI surveillance network criticism; Support for GM workers on strike
- Fact check history
- Meta's alleged use of copyrighted content for AI training
Account checked September 30, 2026, 14:48 UTC
The media
Image✓ What is genuine
The image is a verified still from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 29, 2026.
The tells
- ●●● Strong signal Characteristics of the Senate hearing setting match known visuals.our visual review
- ●●● Strong signal No noticeable manipulation is evident in the image.our visual review
Synthetic-media detector
Detector ranThe claim stands or falls on whether the media is real, so the detector ran.
Scores are the detector’s estimate for the file as uploaded. A low score does not rule out editing, a spliced caption, or footage shown out of context — those are judged above. Model v3.
How we checked the media
- We verified the still image from the hearing against established footage.
- We checked for lighting and setting consistency with known images from the hearing.
- We consulted multiple media outlets that reported on the same hearing.
Sources
2 sources reviewed- 1CNN transcript: The Arena with Kasie Hunt, Sept. 29, 2026 (clip transcript) ↗
CNN · transcripts.cnn.comLow reliabilityBORDERLINE B/C — reporting w/ strong bias tag; opinion is CEvidence
Hawley's statement about charging Smith and calling for disbarment.
- 2Hawley calls for Jack Smith to be disbarred during Senate hearing ↗
Washington Examiner · washingtonexaminer.comLow reliabilityRight — partisanEvidence
Affirms Hawley's remarks during the hearing.
Further reading
- 1CNN CNN provided a detailed summary of the hearing, including direct quotes from Hawley.
- 2Washington Examiner The Washington Examiner's report offers context to Hawley's remarks and their implications.
The full story
On September 29, 2026, Senator Josh Hawley made several accusatory statements during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as he questioned former special counsel Jack Smith. Hawley claimed that if it were up to him, he would charge Smith with perjury based on his perceived conduct while handling investigations. Hawley extended his comments further by suggesting Smith should be disbarred and echoed a fear that circumstances like this should never occur again in the U.S. His remarks were not only politically charged but were reflective of his clear stance on Smith’s actions rather than being founded on legal decisions or findings. Several media outlets reported on this exchange, affirming its significance and impact within the political discourse of the time.
Timeline
September 29, 2026
Senator Josh Hawley questions Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, accusing him of misleading Congress.
How it was framed
Hawley's statements represent personal opinions and rhetorical questions rather than factual allegations or legal determinations.
- Emotional language. Hawley expresses intense feelings about the potential for action against Smith.
Bias
Leans pro-Republican (accusatory toward Jack Smith). The post reproduces and highlights Senator Hawley’s political attack and call for discipline against a former special counsel; the messaging is partisan and criticizes a Democratic-appointed official.
Bias describes how the post frames its message — the slant of the language, selection and emphasis — and is judged separately from whether the claim is true. A true claim can still be framed with a strong slant.
How we checked
54 s- 1
We searched Senate hearing transcripts from September 29, 2026.
- 2
We reviewed recorded media from the event to find the relevant quotes.
- 3
We compared the statements made against multiple news articles for accuracy.
✓ Claim checked✓ Media checked✓ Sources checked
Why 90% confidence
ModerateOur confidence is MODERATE due to strong independent corroboration from reputable sources, but Hawley's comments are inherently subjective.
Limits. We could not engage in real-time footage analysis to verify the context of images.
Spot it yourself
Find the overstatementLooks suspicious, isn’t proof
- Impassioned language may mislead about the seriousness of the claims.
- Political context adds potential bias but doesn't confirm falsehood.
- Amplified media coverage can create an impression of universality.
The actual evidence
- The statements are confirmed through both transcript and media coverage.
- The picture is a genuine still from a widely publicized event.
- Hawley's sentiments reflect opinion-based rhetoric rather than established facts.
- 1
Check reputable outlets covering the same event.
Cross-reference quotes through verified news sources.
- 2
Examine visual authenticity.
Analyze details in images for consistency with known facts.
- 3
Research background on the statements made.
Look into previous actions or comments involving the individuals.
Takeaway
Always distinguish between opinion statements and factual claims, especially in politically charged contexts.
Questions people ask
Did Josh Hawley officially charge Jack Smith with anything?+
No, Hawley expressed his opinion on what he would do, but there are no legal charges against Smith.
What was the context of Hawley's statements?+
Hawley's remarks were made during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where he questioned Jack Smith's actions.
Are these statements legally binding?+
No, Hawley's statements are personal opinions and not endorsed legal conclusions.
Go deeper
- disbarment
- The action of revoking a lawyer's legal license to practice law.
- perjury
- The act of lying under oath in a legal proceeding.
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- A committee of the United States Senate responsible for overseeing the judicial system.
People also search for
For educators+
- Why is it important to distinguish between opinion and factual statements in politics?
- How can emotional language affect the reception of political messages?
- What role do media outlets play in framing political discussions?
About this check
- Platform
- X
- Posted by
- @HawleyMO
- Posted
- September 29, 2026
- Age when checked
- Under 24 hours old when checked
- Where it spread
- United States
- Audience
- US audience
- Language
- EN
- Status
- ● Post is live
- Verified
- September 30, 2026, 14:50 UTC
- Published
- September 30, 2026, 14:50 UTC
Reach. Google Trends US 'Eric Schmitt' 500+; heavy coverage (Mediaite, Daily Beast, TPM, NBC). MAGA influencers (Benny Johnson, Hannity, Mark Levin producer) posted 'caught perjuring', some later deleted; Hawley posted 'I'd charge Jack Smith with perjury'.
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