Former Attorney General Pam Bondi has declined to appear for a deposition scheduled for April 14 by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of its investigation into the Justice Department’s management of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Oversight Committee announced on April 8 that the Justice Department stated Bondi would not attend because she is no longer attorney general. Bondi was subpoenaed in her official capacity during her tenure in that position. The committee plans to consult her personal counsel about rescheduling the deposition.
The subpoena was issued last month by Committee Chairman James Comer following a March 4 vote to compel Bondi’s testimony. The motion to subpoena Bondi passed with bipartisan support, including five Republicans joining all Democrats. The subpoena requires Bondi to undergo a closed-door deposition concerning the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related files.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, insisted that the subpoena remains binding despite Bondi’s firing. He warned that refusal to comply could prompt Congress to initiate contempt proceedings, emphasizing the importance of survivors receiving justice.
During her tenure as attorney general, Bondi oversaw the Justice Department’s review and partial release of files connected to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. The department released approximately 3 million pages out of an estimated 6 million pages of documents, withholding material cited for protecting survivor privacy and preserving active investigations.
Bondi was removed from her post last week. Shortly after the announcement that Todd Blanche would serve as acting attorney general, Bondi initially planned to remain for a transition period but did not continue after Blanche’s formal assumption of the role.
On the same day Bondi’s refusal to appear was announced, GOP Rep. Nancy Mace and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna sent a letter to Chairman Comer urging reaffirmation of Bondi’s obligation to testify. Mace had introduced the motion to subpoena Bondi, while Khanna sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation mandating the Justice Department release the Epstein-related documents.
The letter stated that Bondi’s removal makes her testimony “even more important,” highlighting ongoing questions about the Justice Department’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and its handling of the investigation under Bondi’s leadership.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to release relevant files by December 19, 2025, though the department instead issued multiple rolling disclosures through January 2026. The releases were criticized for inconsistent redactions, including shielding some influential individuals’ identities while failing to adequately protect the names of abuse survivors, sparking widespread opposition.
Additional scrutiny arises from reports that tens of thousands of files were removed from public access, with some containing sensitive information or explicit content, while the motives for removing other documents remain unclear.
Why it matters
The refusal of a former top law enforcement official to comply with a congressional subpoena raises significant legal and oversight questions about accountability in the Justice Department’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The committee’s probe aims to clarify why a substantial portion of Epstein investigation records remains withheld or inconsistently redacted, with implications for transparency and justice for survivors.
Background
Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender with extensive connections to powerful individuals, was the subject of a long-running federal investigation. The Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related case files, including redactions and document releases, has drawn bipartisan congressional scrutiny. The Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed to mandate greater disclosure of these records. Bondi’s role in overseeing the review and handling of the files during her term as attorney general is central to the current congressional oversight efforts.
Read more Politics stories on Goka World News.