U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi will testify before the House Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers plan to question the Justice Department’s handling of records linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Her appearance follows bipartisan frustration, including from some Republicans, over extensive redactions and withheld material in the released files. Although Congress passed a law in November requiring the disclosure of nearly all Epstein-related documents, lawmakers argue that the department has applied exemptions too broadly.
Last month, the Justice Department released what it described as a final tranche of more than three million pages. The documents renewed scrutiny of wealthy and influential figures who maintained contact with Epstein after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. However, lawmakers contend that many sections remain unnecessarily obscured, while officials have withheld additional material citing legal privileges.
The Epstein files have shadowed Bondi’s tenure under President Donald Trump. Initially, the department declined to release further documents last summer, prompting backlash from some of Trump’s supporters and renewed focus on Trump’s past association with Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Broader Questions Over Justice Department Direction
The Justice Department maintains that it acted transparently and redacted information to protect victims, though some victims’ names became public in the release. Bondi is expected to defend her leadership as the department undergoes changes aligned with Trump’s policy agenda.
Lawmakers may also raise concerns about recent investigations targeting Trump’s political rivals, the department’s immigration enforcement role in Minnesota, and its handling of civil rights probes.
