Bondi Faces Fiery House Hearing Over Epstein Files, Drawing Bipartisan Scrutiny

Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the House Judiciary Committee in a contentious oversight hearing dominated by questions regarding the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. The four-hour session featured sharp exchanges, with Bondi at one point calling the panel’s top Democrat a “washed-up, loser lawyer.” Lawmakers from both parties pressed the Attorney General on redactions within the newly released documents, including complaints that victims’ names had been inadequately protected and that other individuals’ names had been improperly blacked out.

Several of Epstein’s survivors sat behind Bondi during the hearing. Democrats repeatedly directed her attention to them, requesting she apologise for the department’s conduct. While Bondi expressed regret for the abuse victims endured in her opening remarks, she declined further engagement, dismissing a request for a formal apology as “theatrics.” Republican Representative Thomas Massie broke ranks with his party to question Bondi forcefully about who was responsible for the redactions, describing the issue as “bigger than Watergate.” Bondi responded by calling him a “failed politician” and a “hypocrite.”

The hearing highlighted the ongoing political fallout from the Epstein network. Democrats argued Bondi’s confrontational and uncooperative stance exemplified a need for congressional oversight, with some stating the session strengthened their case for winning a House majority to gain subpoena powers. Chairman Jim Jordan praised Bondi’s performance, claiming crime has decreased under the administration's leadership.