Ousted AG Pam Bondi Dodges Epstein Inquiry Deposition, Congress Threatens Contempt

Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general recently ousted by President Trump, is refusing to show up for a scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee probing the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The committee announced on Wednesday that Bondi will not testify next week as ordered under a subpoena issued last month.

Bondi was called to answer questions about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein investigation and related materials. The subpoena, backed by a rare bipartisan coalition, compelled Republican committee chairman James Comer to act despite his initial resistance. The deposition was set for April 14.

A committee spokeswoman said the Justice Department informed them Bondi would not appear because she no longer holds the AG position. Bondi’s bungling of the Epstein probe reportedly contributed to Trump’s decision to fire her last week. The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter.

Democratic committee member Robert Garcia made clear the subpoena still stands despite Bondi’s dismissal. “Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify,” Garcia said, warning that contempt proceedings will begin if she defies the subpoena.

Even before she was removed, lawmakers feared Bondi might dodge the deposition. Five Republicans joined Democrats to push the subpoena through over Comer’s objections, underscoring the political stakes. Bondi’s public statements were vague, and reports suggest she and Comer were quietly negotiating to avoid the hearing.

Representative Nancy Mace, who introduced the subpoena motion, insisted Bondi cannot escape accountability. “Our motion to subpoena Pam Bondi, which was passed by the Oversight Committee, was for Bondi by name, not by title,” Mace said.

Survivors of Epstein’s abuse, including Annie and Maria Farmer, condemned the delay. “Survivors have waited nearly three decades for answers,” they said. “How much longer must we wait?”

The Oversight Committee’s investigation began last year with subpoenas for Justice Department files and has since broadened to include Epstein’s estate and interviews with associates. Comer has also subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton, leading to a standoff before they agreed to testify under threat of contempt.

Looking ahead, several closed-door interviews are scheduled, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on May 6 and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on June 10.

Bondi’s refusal to testify is the latest obstruction in a long-running saga of elite cover-ups and institutional failure to hold powerful figures accountable for Epstein’s crimes. The committee’s fight to secure testimony is critical to uncovering the full extent of corruption and complicity that allowed Epstein’s trafficking network to operate with impunity.