Bondi Won't Appear for Epstein Deposition

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for a scheduled deposition with the House Oversight Committee on April 14 regarding the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein's case. The committee issued a subpoena for Bondi last month, which was approved by a bipartisan vote.

The DOJ stated that Bondi is no longer required to testify as she is no longer serving as Attorney General. However, committee members argue that the subpoena was issued to her personally and not in her official capacity. They have threatened contempt charges if she does not appear.

Bondi's removal from office last week has raised questions about her handling of the Epstein case files. She had previously claimed to possess a client list, but this claim was later refuted by the DOJ. The committee has expressed concerns about the DOJ's compliance with the statutory deadline to release the files and the redaction of some documents.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has taken over Bondi's role and has expressed his willingness to serve permanently if asked by President Trump. He praised Bondi's leadership but did not speculate on the reasons for her removal. The DOJ is currently investigating thousands of fraud cases, with a new National Fraud Enforcement Division being established.

The House Oversight Committee will contact Bondi's personal counsel to discuss the next steps about scheduling the interview. Some Republicans who had joined Democrats to subpoena Bondi said they would insist on having her appear before the committee. Rep. Nancy Mace, who initiated the motion to compel her appearance, stated that 'Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General.' The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, also said he would push to enforce the subpoena and threatened to press for contempt of Congress charges if she does not appear.