The US House of Representatives Committee has summoned Attorney General Pam Bondi in connection with the Epstein case
The US House of Representatives Oversight Committee has announced that it has served a subpoena on Attorney General Pam Bondy. She is required to give sworn testimony during a closed-door hearing scheduled for 14 April, according to Reuters.
Bondy is accused of allowing the Department of Justice to withhold the names of influential figures linked to Jeffrey Epstein when releasing a large trove of documents relating to the case.
The Department of Justice stated that the subpoena is “entirely unnecessary”, as lawmakers have already had the opportunity to review the full, unredacted versions of the materials at the department. It is also noted that Pam Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, are to hold a separate closed-door briefing for the committee.
The department emphasised that the Attorney General continues to liaise with members of Congress regarding the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed almost unanimously in November.
Committee Chairman James Comer noted in a letter to Bondi that the committee seeks information on the collection, analysis and publication of Department of Justice materials related to the Epstein case.
Jeffrey Epstein had links to influential political and business circles both before and after he was convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution. In 2019, he was re-arrested on federal charges of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. He died in prison; his death was ruled a suicide.
Lawmakers expressed concern that redactions in the Department of Justice’s materials went beyond the exceptions permitted by law. The department also withheld some documents, citing legal restrictions.
Bondi stated that over 500 Department of Justice lawyers had worked under tight deadlines to analyse a large volume of material. The department acknowledged errors in the release of the documents but denied allegations of protecting influential figures.
Questions regarding the materials in the Epstein case have dogged Bondy’s tenure as Attorney General. Some of Donald Trump’s supporters had previously accused her of withholding information following the Department of Justice’s statement that there were no new materials to publish.
Donald Trump himself stated that he had ceased contact with Epstein several years before his conviction in 2008 and had seen no evidence of human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies did not bring any charges against him in connection with this case.
