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Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear before the House Oversight Committee next week to answer questions about the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to committee officials.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said Wednesday that the Department of Justice informed lawmakers Bondi would not attend a scheduled April 14 deposition because she was subpoenaed in her official capacity as attorney general — a role she no longer holds.
“The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear … since she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general,” a committee spokesperson said, adding lawmakers will seek to coordinate with her personal legal counsel on next steps.
In a letter to Committee Chairman James Comer, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis argued the subpoena should be withdrawn because it was issued to Bondi in her official capacity, not as a private citizen.
“The Department remains committed to working cooperatively with the Committee,” Davis wrote, saying additional compulsory measures were unnecessary given the agency’s willingness to assist voluntarily.
The subpoena, approved by the committee in early March with bipartisan support, had required Bondi to sit for a closed-door deposition regarding the Justice Department’s review and release of records tied to Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
Democrats and some Republicans quickly pushed back on the Justice Department’s position, arguing Bondi remains legally obligated to testify regardless of her current employment status.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the panel’s top Democrat, said the subpoena applies to Bondi personally and warned of potential consequences if she refuses to comply.
“Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the attorney general or not,” Garcia said. “If she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in Congress. The survivors deserve justice.”
Two Epstein survivors, Maria and Annie Farmer, also urged lawmakers to ensure Bondi testifies under oath, saying delays undermine confidence in the government’s willingness to hold those involved accountable.
The dispute centers on Bondi’s role overseeing the Justice Department’s implementation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the release of documents related to the federal investigation into Epstein.
The department ultimately disclosed roughly 3 million pages of records out of more than 6 million, withholding others due to concerns about protecting survivors’ identities and preserving ongoing investigations.
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about how the materials were handled, citing inconsistencies in redactions and the release of sensitive information. Some documents were later removed from public access, including files containing explicit content or personal details of victims.
Bondi was removed from her post last week, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stepping in as acting attorney general.
Earlier Wednesday, Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Ro Khanna urged Comer to reaffirm Bondi’s obligation to testify, arguing her departure from office makes her testimony even more critical.
“The removal of Pam Bondi as attorney general does not diminish the committee’s legitimate oversight interests,” they wrote, adding that “serious questions remain” about the Justice Department’s compliance with the law and its handling of the Epstein investigation.
The standoff sets up a potential legal and constitutional clash over congressional oversight authority, as lawmakers weigh whether to enforce the subpoena against a former cabinet official.
