Crime & justice

DOJ: Bondi Will Skip Congressional Deposition Related to Epstein Case

Is Pam Bondi dodging accountability on the Epstein files or is Congress grandstanding against a cooperating witness?

APR 8·Updated APR 9

DOJ: Bondi Will Skip Congressional Deposition Related to Epstein Case

Story

Above: Pam Bondi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 24. Image credit: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Facts

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has informed the House Oversight Committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for a scheduled April 14 deposition, arguing that she was subpoenaed in her official capacity and no longer holds that office.
New York Post
CNBC
Assistant Attorney General Patrick D. Davis wrote to Committee Chair James Comer on Wednesday, requesting that the subpoena be withdrawn, stating Bondi "no longer can testify in her official capacity as Attorney General."
CNN
ABC News
President Donald Trump fired Bondi on April 2, with her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation cited as a factor. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was subsequently elevated to acting attorney general.
The Associated Press
CNBC
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi on a bipartisan basis last month with five Republicans joining all Democrats on the panel in voting for it.
New York Post
Politico
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the panel's top Democrat, threatened contempt charges if Bondi doesn't testify.
The Washington Examiner
The New York Times
Blanche in comments made Tuesday declined to say whether Bondi would comply with the subpoena and did not rule out invoking privileges that could complicate her testimony, leaving the matter to Comer to resolve.
ABC News
Axios

Sources Split

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CENTER

RIGHT

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CRIT

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The Spin

Narrative A

From the time it was issued, this subpoena has been "completely unnecessary." Bondi already testified voluntarily before the House Judiciary Committee and offered to brief the Oversight Committee. Leaving office doesn't create new obligations, and the subpoena was issued to an attorney general who no longer holds that title. Congress is grandstanding instead of accepting the cooperation already on the table.

FOX News

Forbes

Narrative B

A subpoena is issued by name, not title, and is binding no matter what. Bondi's dodging is exactly the kind of ducking of accountability that contempt charges exist to stop. The DOJ botched the Epstein files release, stonewalled Congress and still hasn't answered for non-compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Survivors are still waiting for justice, and no one gets to just walk away from that.

Jasmine Crockett on X

Congresswoman Nancy Mace's Office

Oversightdemocrats