Pam Bondi and members of the House Judiciary Committee clashed over questions tied to files related to Jeffrey Epstein during a marathon oversight hearing. The attorney general repeatedly declined to give direct answers as Democrats accused the Justice Department of withholding information.
Pam Bondi avoids Epstein questions during hearing
Attorney General Pam Bondi avoided directly answering questions related to Jeffrey Epstein during a five-hour House Judiciary Committee hearing, according to the Associated Press. When Democrats asked whether the Justice Department had questioned Trump officials, Bondi replied, “Shame on you.” Rep. Becca Balint answered, “This is pathetic.” Bondi also declined to comment on a list of “domestic terrorists,” saying, “We will comply with the law in all matters.”
Rep. Dan Goldman asked Bondi to address victims in the room who had sought contact with the Justice Department. All of the survivors raised their hands. Bondi said, “Any accusations of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously and investigated.” She denied that the redactions were intentional. She added that the department removed files after learning they contained victims’ private information.
Rep. Jamie Raskin called Bondi’s conduct “a cover-up,” stating, “To us, it feels like we are in the middle of a cover-up.” Bondi mocked her critics and gave a strong defense of President Trump, saying, “You sit here and you attack the president, and I am not going to have it.” She also said, “I am not going to get in the gutter with these people,” during an exchange with Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
Rep. Lou Correa asked victims whether they felt supported by the DOJ. None raised their hands. Bondi responded, “We want to work with them.” Rep. Ted Lieu showed a video of Trump with Epstein, which Bondi dismissed as “ridiculous.” A lawmaker asked Bondi why officials transferred Ghislaine Maxwell to a Texas prison camp. Bondi responded, “I was not involved in that at all.” She also supported prosecuting anti-ICE protesters and stated that even “bloggers like Don Lemon” would face charges for disruptions.
