Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before a House committee this week, defending the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein's files amid accusations of delays and improper redactions. The hearing grew heated as lawmakers pressed her on transparency and potential cover-ups. Bondi's responses drew criticism for deflecting questions and personal attacks on questioners.
Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to address the Justice Department's management of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose case continues to generate political fallout. Lawmakers from both parties questioned Bondi on the department's compliance with a bipartisan law mandating the release of Epstein's documents, including emails, photos, and other materials from the investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The testimony turned contentious when Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., asked Bondi whether there were underage girls at parties attended by Donald Trump and Epstein. Bondi responded, 'This is so ridiculous, and that they are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done. There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime. Everyone knows that. This has been the most transparent presidency. He's the one that asked that those files... Be released.' Lieu reclaimed his time, noting, 'I got your answer. You said there's no evidence.'
Bondi defended the redactions, but critics accused the department of slow-walking releases and inverting the law by protecting Epstein's guests while exposing victims in some instances. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., pressed Bondi on why names like Les Wexner's were redacted, to which she retorted that Massie suffered from 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' and was 'a failed politician.' Separately, Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., reviewed unredacted files and uncovered six wrongly redacted names, including Wexner and Sultan bin Sulayem, accusing the DOJ of scrubbing documents.
After the hearing, a photo surfaced of Bondi holding the search history of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., prompting Jayapal to accuse the DOJ of 'spying' on lawmakers. President Trump praised Bondi's performance on social media, calling it 'fantastic.' The hearing highlighted ongoing tensions over transparency in the Epstein case, with Maxwell's recent deposition yielding little after she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights, her lawyer stating she would speak fully only with clemency from Trump—a request the White House said is not under consideration.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also testified on his Epstein ties, admitting his family visited Epstein's island in 2012 for lunch during a vacation, despite prior claims of cutting ties earlier.
