Pam Bondi Dodges Epstein Files Deposition After Leaving DOJ, Sparking Contempt Threats

Pam Bondi won't be showing up for her scheduled April 14 deposition before the House Oversight Committee, despite a congressional subpoena compelling her testimony about the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files.

The reason? According to DOJ, the subpoena was issued to her as Attorney General, and she no longer holds that position. It's a convenient technicality that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle aren't buying.

"The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on April 14 for a deposition since she is no longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General," a spokeswoman for Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) confirmed Wednesday. The committee now plans to contact Bondi's personal attorney to "discuss next steps."

The Dodge

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tried to smooth things over Tuesday, telling reporters that he and Bondi had already "answered every single question asked" by committee members "for a couple of hours" on a voluntary basis last month. But voluntary conversations are not sworn testimony, and they don't create a public record.

"What happens now that she's the former attorney general, and there's the subpoena out there, is I think I'll leave it to Chairman Comer and others to figure out," Blanche said, punting responsibility back to Congress.

That's not sitting well with lawmakers who've been trying to pry loose answers about what the Justice Department knew about Epstein's network of powerful enablers and when they knew it.

Bipartisan Pushback

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) fired back on X Wednesday: "We are urging Chairman Comer to publicly reaffirm that Pam Bondi is still legally obligated to appear for her deposition. The subpoena was written for her name, not her title. The American people deserve to know if information about Jeffrey Epstein and his associates is being withheld. RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES."

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the committee, was even blunter: "If Pam Bondi doesn't testify, we will hold her in contempt."

It's rare to see this kind of bipartisan alignment on anything related to Trump administration officials, but the Epstein files have become a third-rail issue that transcends party lines. The public wants answers about who enabled a serial sex trafficker with connections to presidents, princes, and billionaires, and stonewalling only fuels suspicion that there's something to hide.

The Broader Investigation

The Oversight Committee has been investigating DOJ's handling of Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for months, subpoenaing a roster of former law enforcement leaders. That includes former Attorney General Bill Barr and former South Florida US Attorney Alex Acosta, who cut the infamous 2008 sweetheart plea deal that let Epstein plead to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution while dodging federal prosecution.

Acosta later served as Trump's labor secretary during his first term, a promotion that raised serious questions about accountability for officials who protected Epstein.

The committee has also deposed former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about their relationships with Epstein and Maxwell. If the Clintons can sit for questioning, the argument that a former AG can simply skip out because she changed jobs doesn't hold much water.

What's at Stake

More than 3 million files have already been released by the Justice Department, including FBI memos, draft prosecution documents, and victim interviews spanning over a decade before Epstein's July 2019 arrest. But questions remain about what else might be buried in DOJ vaults and who might be implicated.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was later convicted of conspiring with him to abuse women and girls, some as young as 14.

The fight over Bondi's testimony isn't just about one deposition. It's about whether Congress can compel former officials to answer for their actions in office, or whether leaving a job means leaving accountability behind. If Bondi successfully dodges this subpoena, it sets a precedent that any official can run out the clock by resigning.

Lawmakers seem prepared to test that theory. Whether Bondi shows up voluntarily or gets dragged in under threat of contempt, this fight is far from over.