Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not comply with a House Oversight Committee subpoena requiring her to testify next week about her handling of the Epstein files. The Justice Department stated Bondi will not appear for the April 14 deposition since she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general. The committee plans to contact Bondi's personal attorney to discuss next steps.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration with the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files and view Bondi's testimony as crucial to their months-long investigation. The House Oversight Committee voted on a bipartisan basis to subpoena Bondi last month while she was still serving as attorney general. Democratic members previously stormed out of a closed-door briefing with Bondi, saying she refused to answer key questions or commit to testifying under oath.
The subpoena motion was offered by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace and supported by every Democrat on the panel, plus GOP Reps. Tim Burchett, Michael Cloud, Lauren Boebert, and Scott Perry. Bondi was ousted from her attorney general position earlier this month. She had previously told reporters she would "follow the law" in responding to the subpoena.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the panel, accused Bondi of "trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify" and threatened to hold her in contempt of Congress. Such a move would require support from at least three Republicans on the panel and a vote by the full House. House Oversight Chairman James Comer told reporters they would "talk about it" when pressed on potential contempt proceedings.