Wednesday, September 30, 2026 300 stories · 2679 outlet reports compared

Sen. John Kennedy grills Jack Smith at Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) sharply questioned former special counsel Jack Smith during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, pressing him on his relationship with Biden administration officials and his subpoenaing of congressional phone records.

By The Lumen desk · Sept 30, 2026 · 1 min read
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What we know
1 Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned Jack Smith at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, according to the Washington Examiner.
2 Kennedy told Smith, "You make me want to throw up in my mouth," as reported by CNN, the Washington Examiner and Just the News.
3 The Washington Examiner reported that Kennedy pressed Smith on his relationship with Biden administration officials, including former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and on his subpoenaing of congressional phone records.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned former special counsel Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, according to the Washington Examiner. Kennedy pressed Smith on his personal feelings about former President Joe Biden and his conversations with then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, the outlet reported.

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During the exchange, Kennedy told Smith, "You make me want to throw up in my mouth," a remark reported by CNN, the Washington Examiner and Just the News.

The Washington Examiner reported that Kennedy also questioned Smith about his subpoenaing of congressional phone records.

Townhall and PJ Media characterized Smith's demeanor and performance during the questioning, with Townhall reporting that Smith appeared uncomfortable when asked a question by Kennedy and PJ Media describing Kennedy as having dominated the exchange.

How each side covered it

Left

1 outlet
  • CNN reported Kennedy's remark to Smith that he made Kennedy "want to throw up in my mouth."

“Sen. John Kennedy to Jack Smith: 'You make me want to throw up in my mouth'” — CNN

Right

4 outlets
  • The Washington Examiner reported Kennedy questioned Smith about his relationship with Biden administration officials, including former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
  • The Washington Examiner reported Kennedy also pressed Smith on his subpoenaing of congressional phone records.
  • Townhall reported Smith appeared visibly uncomfortable when asked a question by Kennedy.
  • PJ Media characterized Kennedy as having dominated the exchange with Smith.

“Kennedy berates Smith over conversations with Garland: 'You make me want to throw up in my mouth'” — Washington Examiner

Questions readers ask

What happened at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing involving Jack Smith?

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned former special counsel Jack Smith during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, according to the Washington Examiner, pressing him on his ties to Biden administration officials and his subpoenaing of congressional phone records.

What did Sen. Kennedy say to Jack Smith?

Kennedy told Smith, "You make me want to throw up in my mouth," a remark reported by CNN, the Washington Examiner and Just the News.

What did left- and right-leaning outlets focus on?

The only left-leaning outlet covering the exchange, CNN, focused on Kennedy's blunt remark to Smith. Right-leaning outlets emphasized Kennedy's aggressive questioning style, Smith's reported discomfort, and details about the subpoenaing of phone records and Smith's relationship with Merrick Garland.

Who is Jack Smith in this context?

Jack Smith is described as a former special counsel who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to the Washington Examiner.

Sources · 5 outlet reports

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