Unlock the free White House Watch newsletter
Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world
US Attorney-General Pam Bondi faced a sustained attack from lawmakers over her department’s handling of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein in a tense congressional hearing on Wednesday.
In an often bad-tempered exchange, Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee criticized Bondy’s leadership and accused the Justice Department of failing to properly redact files related to the late sex offender. He also condemned the DOJ’s response to the conduct of federal enforcement agents in Minnesota who shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretty.
Jamie Raskin, the committee’s most senior Democrat, said, “Whether it’s Epstein’s human trafficking ring or government violence against civilians in Minneapolis, as attorney-general, you are siding with the criminals and ignoring the victims.” “This will be your legacy unless you act quickly to change course.”
President Donald Trump is facing criticism, including from some Republicans, over the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein material that revealed ties between the disgraced financier and senior figures in politics, entertainment and business, as well as outrage over his aggressive immigration crackdown and the murders of Good and Pretty.
Polls show that a majority of the American public – and a sizable minority of Republican Party supporters – disapprove of his administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
The scandal involving Epstein and the DOJ’s handling of documents related to the late financier have also distracted from the White House’s effort to focus on economic issues ahead of the midterm elections in November.
One of the most dramatic moments during Wednesday’s hearing came when a group of Epstein victims stood in the chamber and Bondi refused to confront them or apologize directly for initially releasing the names of some survivors, who were later redacted.
“In your opening statement you apologized to the survivors for what they went through at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein,” Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal told Bondi.
“Will you come to them now and apologize for the pressure that your Justice Department has put on them with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein files and their information?”
Bondy instead tried to focus on his predecessor’s handling of the case of Merrick Garland.
Jayapal retorted, “This is not about anyone who came before you.” “This is about your Department of Justice taking responsibility and the harm it has done to survivors who are standing right behind you waiting for you to come in front of them and apologize.”
The attorney-general accused Democratic lawmakers of “theatrics” and focusing on Epstein to divert attention from crime in their own districts, and said she would not “get into the gutter” with them.
Bondy said, “I am deeply sorry for what has happened to any victim, any victim, especially as a result of that monster… I want to let you know that any allegation of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously and investigated.”
Thomas Massie, who supported legislation that forced the DOJ to release the Epstein files, was a rare Republican critic of Bondi. “Really the worst thing you could have done to the survivors, you did,” he said, referring to the publication of the victims’ names. He cited another document featuring “co-conspirators” that was redacted before the DOJ shared more information.
Bondi said of Massey, “This guy has Trump derangement syndrome,” repeating a quip frequently used by the president. “You are a failed politician.” He said the DoJ quickly fixed the outages.
But most Republicans came to Bondy’s defense and praised his focus on violent crime and immigration. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan said that under his leadership, “DOJ has returned to its core missions: upholding the rule of law, going after the bad guys, and keeping Americans safe”.
