The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has issued a subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding she testify before lawmakers regarding the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The subpoena intensifies the growing conflict between Congress and the Justice Department over transparency and accountability.
Lawmakers say Bondi’s testimony is necessary to comprehensively review files related to the deceased sex trafficker. The resolution to subpoena Bondi was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and passed in a bipartisan 24-19 vote.
The Hill continues:
All Democrats present for the committee hearing voted in favor, with Mace and GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Michael Cloud (Texas) and Scott Perry (Pa.) joining their colleagues from across the aisle.
The subpoena of Bondi would bring the highest-level sitting official before the House panel as it pushes ahead with its review of the files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi has faced steady criticism over her handling of the files throughout her tenure as attorney general, cries that have only grown louder as the Justice Department has been accused of failing to release all the files and faced questions about how it has handled redactions.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Questions Over Missing Records
The demand comes after a CBS News report on Tuesday stating that the Justice Department had started removing documents:
After removing tens of thousands of files, the Department of Justice currently makes public about 2.7 million pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, a CBS News analysis found, a number below the Department’s initial claim of 3 million, and a total that continues to fluctuate.
The Justice Department initially said that its release, made in response to a law passed by Congress compelling the agency to disclose nearly all files related to Epstein, comprised more than 3 million pages. Combined with previously released materials, the Department put the total at 3.5 million pages.
And now, in part in response to widespread criticism and concern from survivors and their attorneys that the files contain nearly 100 survivors’ personal information and photos, the DOJ has scrambled to remove documents. A CBS News analysis found that as of late February, the Justice Department has taken down more than 47,000 files comprising about 65,500 pages. Links to those files now return a “page not found” error on the department’s website.
Some of those removed documents contained explicit images or survivor information — including one document with unredacted photos of 21 survivors along with most of their birthdates. But the reasons for other files’ removal is unclear, such as a call log with all names redacted and images of Epstein’s jail bunk where investigators say he hanged himself. The Justice Department appears to be putting some removed files back up.
Bondi Faces Questions
Bondi has already faced intense questioning from lawmakers during recent oversight hearings about the department’s handling of the Epstein document releases.
During those hearings, members of Congress pressed the attorney general about:
- Extensive redactions
- Missing records
- Whether additional investigations tied to Epstein could still occur
Epstein, a financier with connections to powerful political and business figures, was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.
He died in federal custody later that year while awaiting trial.
His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted of sex trafficking and is currently serving a federal prison sentence.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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