Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Pam Bondi, the dismissed Attorney General, will not appear next week before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to testify about the ongoing investigations into the case of Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexual abuse.
Jessica Collins, a spokesperson for the Oversight Committee, said: “The Department of Justice has announced that Bondi — who was fired last week by Donald Trump — will not appear to testify before the committee,” “because she is no longer the Attorney General, and the subpoena was issued for her in her capacity as Attorney General.” She added that the committee will contact Bondi’s personal attorney to discuss next steps for scheduling a new interview.
According to a report by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, later, Patrick Davis, an Assistant Attorney General, wrote in a letter: “Please confirm that the subpoena has been withdrawn.”
However, Republicans on the committee have indicated that this matter may not yet be finalized. They pointed to last month’s vote to subpoena Bondi to testify on April 14; a vote that took place after members of both parties expressed dissatisfaction with the Justice Department’s performance in implementing a law passed by Congress requiring the release of millions of pages of Epstein-related files.
James Comer, the Republican chairman of the committee, received a letter from Justice Department officials stating that Bondi would not appear at the hearing; the letter cited Donald Trump’s decision to dismiss her last week.
Bondi’s decision not to appear presents a new obstacle to Congress’s efforts to pressure Trump administration officials to enforce a law passed by Congress last year requiring the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files.
Lawmakers from both parties have accused the Justice Department of missing established deadlines for releasing documents, failing to adequately protect victims’ personal information, and concealing important details to shield prominent figures connected to Epstein’s circle. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019.
Committee’s insistence on testimony
A committee spokesperson said in a statement that despite the Justice Department’s letter, the committee will still seek Bondi’s testimony. He said: “The committee will contact Pam Bondi’s personal legal counsel to discuss next steps for scheduling her testimony.”
Bondi has faced intense scrutiny and criticism for overseeing the Justice Department’s efforts to release Epstein’s files. The handling of this case ultimately contributed to Trump’s decision to dismiss her; as Trump had been angry for months about the Epstein case remaining in the headlines and causing discord within his party.
After the announcement of her dismissal, Bondi wrote on social media that over the next month she would “work diligently to transition the responsibilities of this office.” However, Todd Blanche, the Deputy Attorney General, has been temporarily appointed as acting head of the department. Nevertheless, the Justice Department’s website still lists Bondi as Attorney General.
Bondi had previously broadly defended the department’s performance and its efforts to implement the law during congressional hearings.
Although she had been questioned in at least two previous congressional hearings about the Epstein case, members of the Oversight Committee voted in March to subpoena her again to testify; an action that even surprised James Comer.
This effort was led by two representatives, Nancy Mace from the Republican Party and Ro Khanna from the Democratic Party. They stated that they still demand Bondi’s appearance before the committee. The two wrote in a letter to Comer: “The dismissal of Pam Bondi as Attorney General does not diminish the committee’s legal right to oversight and to receive her testimony under oath, nor does it eliminate the need for accountability and access to information about the files the Justice Department has hidden from the public; on the contrary, it increases the importance of her testimony.”
Nancy Mace also wrote separately on social media: “Bondi cannot simply evade accountability because she is no longer Attorney General.” She added that the subpoena request “was issued in her name personally and not as a sitting official” and she expects “her to appear as soon as a new date is scheduled.”
Also, Robert Garcia, a Democratic representative and senior member of the committee, threatened to take more decisive action. He said in a statement: “She must appear immediately to testify. If she refuses to comply with the subpoena, we will initiate proceedings to hold her in contempt of Congress. Victims deserve justice.”
A Justice Department spokesperson also announced that Bondi “remains committed to cooperating with the committee.”
Fateme Anisi