WASHINGTON – Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is testifying before House lawmakers investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse cases, a long-awaited appearance that brings fresh scrutiny of the administration’s botched release of the Epstein case files.
Bondi was defiant in previous public testimony when confronted by lawmakers about the Epstein investigation. It’s unclear whether she’ll maintain the same approach now that she is no longer in charge of the Justice Department. The session will be held behind closed doors, allowing for a focused inquiry.
The transcribed interview is an opportunity for lawmakers to investigate the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files and related matters, including the prison sentence of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and confidant. The Justice Department moved Maxwell to a prison camp in Texas last August.
“I think she absolutely could clear up many missing pieces if she wanted to,” said Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. “Now it’s a question of whether or not she is willing to be transparent.”
Lawmakers are probing what decisions prosecutors made regarding Epstein associates, how the Justice Department handled the congressional mandate to release the Epstein case files, and whether former President Donald Trump was involved in this process.
Bondi, who disclosed this week that she is undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer, remains connected to Trump, even after her departure from the Justice Department in early April. Recently, Trump appointed her to a White House panel on artificial intelligence, highlighting her sustained influence within his circle.
During her testimony, Bondi will be accompanied by Justice Department officials, including Harmeet Dhillon, head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, who is acting as her counsel. Democrats have raised concerns regarding this arrangement, suggesting it represents a conflict of interest.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department asserted that these officials are present to help lawmakers understand the department’s process for releasing the case files.
Bondi played a pivotal role in the Epstein saga, initially raising expectations for the full release of what is known as the Epstein files, only to later backtrack on that promise. This reversal prompted Congress to intervene and pass legislation requiring the release.
She faced further backlash when the Justice Department’s release of the files was delayed and included sensitive personal information about several potential victims. Bondi has maintained that she was attempting to comply with the law during congressional hearings.
The House Oversight Committee is conducting a broad investigation into Epstein’s dealings, which spans multiple presidential administrations, underscoring the complexity and depth of the inquiry.
The interview format has already sparked controversy. Bondi was subpoenaed by the committee in March through a bipartisan vote but sought to negotiate a closed-door meeting with lawmakers in an attempt to avoid the subpoena, escalating tensions with the committee’s Democrats.
Doubts about enforcing the congressional subpoena arose following Bondi’s departure from the Justice Department. After the committee’s Democrats maneuvered to pursue civil contempt of Congress against her, she agreed to participate in a transcribed interview instead of a sworn deposition.
Democrats have criticized this arrangement, arguing it allows Bondi to selectively withhold answers. They have also urged the committee’s Republican chair, Rep. James Comer, to record the interview on video to ensure transparency.
“A failure to film and release a video of Ms. Bondi’s testimony would present a grave injustice to the American people and survivors of Epstein’s crimes,” wrote Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat, in a letter to Comer.
Comer has stated that allowing Bondi to participate in a transcribed interview instead of a deposition is an incentive for her cooperation, contrasting it with the enforcement of subpoenas against high-profile figures like former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whose depositions were recorded on video.
However, Comer emphasized that Bondi could face legal repercussions if she lies to Congress, and he assured that the committee would release a transcript of the interview for public scrutiny.
“Hopefully that will be good enough,” he remarked, highlighting the ongoing tension and stakes surrounding this significant investigation into Epstein’s extensive network.
