Attorney General Pam Bondi faced intense questioning from lawmakers during a marathon House Judiciary Committee hearing focused largely on the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Over several hours on Capitol Hill, Democrats and Republicans pressed Bondi on redactions, transparency and the pace of document releases mandated under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the department to publish its records in a searchable format with limited protections for victims’ identities.
Bondi defended the department’s actions, citing pending investigations and legal constraints, while accusing some lawmakers of politicizing the issue.
Several Epstein survivors sat behind Bondi during the hearing, as lawmakers repeatedly referenced their presence.
In her opening statement, Bondi called Epstein a “monster” and apologized to victims for the abuse they endured.
Representative Pramila Jayapal asked survivors in attendance to indicate whether they had been able to meet with the Justice Department, prompting all to rise.
Some survivors later criticized the department’s outreach.
Marina Lacerda said Bondi “has totally ignored us,” while Danielle Bensky described what she saw as a lack of empathy during the proceedings.
Lawmakers also questioned the department’s redaction practices.
Jayapal alleged that in some cases sensitive material had been released without adequate protections.
Bondi responded that any names released inadvertently had been “immediately redacted” and described some lines of questioning as “theatrics.”
Democratic lawmakers accused Bondi of withholding documents and operating what one described as a “massive Epstein cover-up.”
Representative Jamie Raskin said the department had failed to produce millions of subpoenaed documents.
Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett accused the administration of complicity and briefly left the hearing after a heated exchange.
Bondi rejected allegations of wrongdoing and defended President Donald Trump, stating there was no evidence he had committed a crime related to Epstein.
Trump’s name appears multiple times in released files, reflecting a past social relationship, but not in connection with sexual abuse allegations.
Republicans also pressed Bondi.
Representative Thomas Massie questioned why certain names, including that of billionaire Les Wexner, had initially been redacted.
Bondi said the name was unredacted shortly after being flagged.
Massie described the episode as a “massive failure.”
The hearing also touched on references in the files to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and on broader concerns about Justice Department conduct in other matters.
Ghislaine Maxwell remains the only person imprisoned in connection with Epstein, serving a 20-year sentence following her 2021 conviction.