Bondi Tries to Dodge Epstein Files Testimony After Getting Fired -- Mace Says Not So Fast

Pam Bondi thought getting fired would get her out of testifying about the Epstein files. She was wrong.

The former attorney general is trying to weasel out of her April 14 deposition before the House Oversight Committee, with the Department of Justice claiming she's off the hook because she no longer holds the office. But Rep. Nancy Mace, who led the bipartisan effort to subpoena Bondi, isn't having it.

"Pam Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General," Mace's office said in a statement. "Our motion to subpoena Pam Bondi, which was passed by the Oversight Committee, was for Bondi by name, not by title."

The subpoena passed with bipartisan support after serious questions emerged about whether the DOJ complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act during Bondi's tenure. That law, which mandates the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his network of powerful associates, was supposed to bring transparency to one of the most consequential criminal investigations in modern American history. Instead, the DOJ under Bondi slow-walked releases and left survivors and the public in the dark.

The DOJ's Convenient Excuse

Assistant Attorney General Patrick D. Davis sent a letter to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer claiming Bondi can't testify in her "official capacity" anymore. It's a transparently weak argument. The committee didn't subpoena "the Attorney General" -- they subpoened Pam Bondi, the person who oversaw the DOJ's handling of these files while she was in charge.

Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-signed the letter demanding Bondi's testimony, pointed out the obvious: "Even though she was fired, she needs to show up and answer for why the remaining files haven't been released and why there haven't been new prosecutions. She should be able to speak even more freely now. The survivors and the public need answers."

He's right. If anything, Bondi should have less reason to stonewall now that she's out of office. Unless, of course, she has something to hide.

A Pattern of Stonewalling

This isn't the first time the DOJ has tried to dodge accountability on the Epstein files. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed last week that Trump's decision to replace Bondi had nothing to do with her handling of the case -- a statement that strains credulity given the timing and the mounting pressure from Congress.

Blanche also tried to spin the DOJ's cooperation, saying they've made documents available to lawmakers. But making redacted documents available for viewing in a controlled setting is not the same as complying with a transparency law that demands public release. It's the bureaucratic equivalent of letting someone look at evidence through a keyhole and calling it full disclosure.

Mace and Khanna aren't alone in pushing for answers. The Oversight Committee subpoenaed six former attorneys general from multiple administrations in 2025, a bipartisan effort to understand how the Epstein investigation was handled across party lines. This isn't about partisan point-scoring -- it's about getting to the truth of how the justice system failed to hold Epstein's co-conspirators and enablers accountable.

Why This Matters

The Epstein case isn't just about one dead predator. It's about a network of powerful people who enabled, participated in, or covered up sex trafficking. It's about institutional failures at the highest levels of law enforcement. And it's about whether survivors will ever see justice.

Bondi promised to comply with congressional oversight. She had her chance to prove the DOJ was taking the Epstein Files Transparency Act seriously. Instead, files remained sealed, prosecutions stalled, and now she's trying to skip town before answering questions under oath.

Mace made it clear: "She promised she would comply. April 14 is her chance to prove it."

The American people deserve to know what happened to the Epstein investigation, who was protected, and why. If Bondi has nothing to hide, she should welcome the opportunity to testify. If she keeps dodging, it tells us everything we need to know.