Former AG Pam Bondi Set to Testify on Epstein Files After Skipping Earlier Hearing

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on May 29 to answer questions about the Department of Justice’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender. This announcement came after Democrats on the committee initiated a civil contempt of Congress resolution against Bondi for failing to show up at a previously scheduled hearing in April.

The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, subpoenaed Bondi in March as part of a broader investigation into the Trump administration’s management of Epstein-related documents. Bondi had been fired by President Donald Trump on April 2, shortly before her originally scheduled testimony on April 14, which she skipped.

Democrats, led by ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia of California, condemned Bondi’s refusal to cooperate, emphasizing her “extensive personal knowledge” of how the Trump administration handled the Epstein files. “The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse deserve answers and the American people deserve the truth,” Garcia said in a statement accompanying the contempt resolution.

The partisan battle over Bondi’s testimony unfolds amid a wider fight for transparency regarding Epstein’s network and enablers. Bill and Hillary Clinton, both subpoenaed and initially resistant, eventually testified before the committee in February after months of delay. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice’s internal watchdog recently launched an investigation into the agency’s compliance with the 2025 law mandating the full release of Epstein-related documents.

Senator Jeff Merkley, who championed the law pushing for the files’ release, also announced that the Government Accountability Office will investigate the DOJ’s handling of Epstein files, signaling increased congressional scrutiny.

Republicans on the committee dismissed the Democrats’ contempt move as political theater. The committee’s majority responded on social media, accusing Democrats of focusing on Epstein while Republicans advanced legislation on federal fraud.

Bondi’s upcoming testimony is a critical moment in the ongoing effort to expose how powerful figures and government officials may have shielded Epstein and obstructed justice. The public and survivors alike await answers on what the Trump administration knew and how it managed Epstein’s files — a question that has dogged the investigation since Epstein’s arrest and death.