US Democrats say Bondi didn’t answer Epstein questions
Democratic lawmakers say former U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi has refused to answer questions from Congress about whether President Donald Trump was aware of the activities of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that led to criminal charges.
In a closed-door interview before the House Oversight Committee on Friday, Bondi also said Todd Blanche, now acting attorney general, was responsible for releasing the documents.
“I did not direct every aspect of this effort or conduct document review myself. I have delegated oversight of this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche,” Bondi said in a prepared statement obtained by Reuters. he said.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee’s top Democrat, told reporters that Bondi refused to answer questions about Trump and that the Justice Department attorney sitting next to her “intervened and told the former attorney general that he would not answer those questions.”
.@RepRobertGarcia (D-CA) aside from former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s statement in the Epstein investigation: “He continues to put the entire investigation and blame on Acting AG Todd Blanche.” pic.twitter.com/cqDuXUTbZs— CSPAN (@cspan) May 29, 2026
During his tenure, the Justice Department said it would not release information that would expose victims or jeopardize ongoing investigations.
Bondi has faced harsh criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over her handling of the release of millions of documents related to Epstein during her tenure.
Democrats and some Republicans accused Bondi of trying to shield Trump from scrutiny.
Trump opposed the release of the information until shortly before Congress overwhelmingly passed a law ordering its release.
Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico said Bondi told the committee that the Justice Department had released three million of the six million documents related to Epstein.
“This is a cover-up,” he said.
In her opening statement to the panel, Bondi acknowledged “editorial errors” but did not detail them. He also defended the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein case and the release of the documents.
“As far as I know, the ministry has produced everything necessary,” he said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
The interview with Bondi ended without speaking to reporters gathered outside the committee room.
Before Bondi’s testimony began, chairman James Comer of Kentucky told reporters: “We’re going to ask today why the documents still haven’t been released… what documents remain and why they haven’t been turned over.”
Trump fired Bondi on April 2, in part for her handling of the Epstein files.
Trump and Epstein socialized in the 1990s and early 2000s, but Trump repeatedly said he ended the relationship before Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
He was arrested again in 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors, accused of recruiting and abusing underage girls in New York and Florida.
His death in a New York jail cell that year was ruled a suicide by a New York City medical examiner.
The Epstein files revealed the financiers’ ties to powerful figures including Trump, former president Bill Clinton and former Duke of York Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Everyone said they had no knowledge of Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking.
Garcia criticized Comer’s decision not to videotape Bondi’s interview, saying it would have allowed the public to gauge her demeanor.
A survivor of Epstein’s abuse was also there to criticize Bondi’s handling of the material.
“It boggles my mind that the Justice Department has released nude photos… The Justice Department has released pornography. This is unacceptable,” survivor Sharlene Rochard told reporters outside the committee hearing room.
