Fired Attorney General Pam Bondi Dodges Epstein Files Subpoena -- Congress Threatens Contempt

Pam Bondi thought getting fired would get her out of answering questions about the Epstein files. Congress has other ideas.

A bipartisan coalition of House lawmakers is demanding Bondi comply with a congressional subpoena to testify about the Justice Department's handling of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi's representatives claim her removal as attorney general means she no longer has to appear -- an argument lawmakers are flatly rejecting.

"Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not," said Rep. Robert Garcia, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. "She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in Congress."

The showdown centers on Bondi's scheduled April 14 deposition before the Oversight Committee. After Trump fired her last week -- reportedly frustrated she hadn't prosecuted enough of his perceived enemies -- the Justice Department indicated Bondi would not appear because she was subpoenaed in her official capacity.

That's a convenient excuse for someone who attracted intense criticism over the department's handling of Epstein-related documents during her tenure.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed into law on November 19, Bondi was required to make public all Epstein-related files in possession of the Justice Department and FBI. The law was designed to force transparency around one of the most politically explosive scandals in recent memory -- a trafficking network that ensnared powerful figures across politics, business, and entertainment.

Questions remain about whether the Justice Department fully complied with that mandate, and whether Congress was misled about what documents exist and what has been withheld.

Rep. Ro Khanna, working alongside Republican Reps. Nancy Mace and Thomas Massie, said he will continue pushing across party lines to "seek justice for survivors." In a formal letter to Committee Chairman James Comer, Khanna and Mace argued that Bondi's departure from office doesn't diminish Congress's oversight authority.

"The removal of Pam Bondi as Attorney General does not diminish the Committee's legitimate oversight interests," the letter states. "On the contrary, it makes her sworn testimony even more important."

Precedent and Accountability

Lawmakers pointed to precedent showing the committee has previously subpoenaed former officials from both parties. The argument that leaving office exempts someone from testifying about their conduct while in office would create a massive accountability loophole -- one Congress isn't willing to accept.

"The American people deserve answers about whether Congress was misled and whether information is being withheld by the DOJ," the letter said.

Garcia made clear that failure to appear will trigger immediate action. "If Pam Bondi doesn't testify, we will hold her in contempt," he said.

The Oversight Committee plans to contact Bondi's personal counsel to determine next steps, but the message from lawmakers is unambiguous: showing up is not optional.

What Bondi Doesn't Want to Answer

Bondi's reluctance to testify raises obvious questions about what she's trying to avoid discussing. Her tenure as attorney general was marked by criticism that the Justice Department was being weaponized for Trump's political purposes rather than pursuing accountability for powerful wrongdoers.

The Epstein files represent a test case for whether the Justice Department under Bondi prioritized transparency and justice for survivors, or whether it protected connected elites by slow-walking document releases and hiding evidence.

Survivors of Epstein's trafficking network and their advocates have fought for years to force the government to release documents that could reveal the full scope of his operation and who enabled it. The Epstein Files Transparency Act was supposed to end the stonewalling.

If Bondi defied that law or misled Congress about compliance, she needs to answer for it under oath -- whether she still has the job or not.

The April 14 deadline is approaching. Bondi can show up and explain what happened to the Epstein files, or she can face contempt charges and make clear she has something to hide.