Lawmakers challenge former US Attorney General over Justice Department conduct, redactions, and Trump-era controversies
WASHINGTON: Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi faced sharp questioning and tense exchanges during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, where scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein files quickly overshadowed standard oversight topics.
The hearing, intended as routine oversight, turned confrontational as lawmakers raised concerns over document redactions, unsuccessful Justice Department efforts to indict six Democratic lawmakers, and the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal officers in Minneapolis last month.
Tensions escalated early when Rep. Pramila Jayapal asked Epstein survivors to stand and pressed Bondi to apologize for mishandling sensitive information. Bondi deflected blame to former Attorney General Merrick Garland and repeatedly avoided addressing survivors directly, eliciting visible reactions in the room.
Throughout the session, Bondi frequently interrupted lawmakers, prompting reminders from Committee Chair Jim Jordan. She forcefully defended former President Donald Trump, called a lawmaker a “washed up, loser lawyer,” and rebuffed claims she misled Congress regarding Trump’s involvement in an unverified Epstein tip.
A notable exchange with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie involved redactions affecting figures like billionaire Les Wexner, which Bondi claimed were corrected “within 40 minutes” of being noticed. Brief bipartisan agreement emerged when Bondi acknowledged ongoing threats against Rep. Eric Swalwell and his family.
The hearing highlighted enduring political tensions over the Epstein files and broader questions about Justice Department conduct under the Trump administration, producing a session marked as much by confrontation as by substance.
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