Democrats Criticize Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Over Epstein Hearing Refusal

Former Justice Department Chief Pam Bondi Warned to Testify Before Congressional Committee

A congressional subpoena for former Attorney General Pam Bondi remains in effect, lawmakers have warned her. The House Oversight Committee has called on Bondi to testify about the government’s handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Bondi was subpoenaed last month to provide testimony regarding the release of the Epstein files, which were compelled under the November passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. As attorney general at the time, Bondi was in charge of overseeing the publication of the records in accordance with the law.

Congressman Robert Garcia has stated that if Bondi refuses to appear before the committee, she could be held in contempt of Congress. According to Garcia, a person under subpoena is still expected to appear before Congress, regardless of their employment status or other factors.

A bipartisan group of legislators, including Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Nancy Mace, have also called on Bondi to testify. They argue that her termination as attorney general does not nullify her obligation to comply with the congressional subpoena.

The Epstein files have become a significant issue for the administration of President Donald Trump, who has faced accusations of shielding powerful people connected to Epstein from public scrutiny. Trump had a close relationship with Epstein and repeatedly called the scrutiny over the Epstein files a “hoax” and a “scam”.

A YouGov poll released in February found that 56 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, and 53 percent believe Trump is trying to cover up Epstein’s crimes. The poll also found that about half of respondents believed Trump was involved in crimes committed by Epstein.

Bondi was fired as attorney general on April 2. Her testimony is seen as crucial in addressing concerns about the government’s handling of the Epstein files and ensuring transparency.

Source: Al Jazeera