Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is appearing before the House Oversight Committee on Friday after being subpoenaed over the Department of Justice’s handling of the so-called Epstein Files.
In a copy of her opening statement obtained by Scripps News, Bondi defends the department’s efforts to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the DOJ to release millions of documents. She describes the process as “enormously complicated and labor-intensive.”
However, Bondi also notes that she did not directly lead the effort, saying she delegated oversight to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“The team of professionals who reviewed all of the materials that we collected assured me the only materials that were withheld were either non-responsive, privileged, or duplicative,” she says.
During a break in the hearing, Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, said Bondi refused to answer questions related to President Donald Trump.
“It’s so interesting that someone sitting next to her is DOJ counsel, someone who currently works for the Department of Justice, who on multiple occasions stepped in and told the former attorney general that she was not going to answer those questions, especially when we asked questions of what the president directed her to do,” he said.
However, Bondi did address concerns about redactions following complaints from survivors who said their names were not redacted while the names of some powerful individuals were withheld.
“Since day one of this process, this Department has been committed to accountability and transparency,” she says. “Our stance has always been that the Department stands ready to review any potential evidence of criminal activity related to Epstein and his associates and would pursue appropriate investigative or prosecutorial action wherever the facts and law warrant.”
Bondi appeared before the committee with a bandage on her neck after revealing this week that she is being treated for thyroid cancer.
Bondi was fired as attorney general in April. Blanche took over as acting attorney general and has also defended the department’s handling of the files.