6 days ago
The erstwhile lawyer wide Pam Bondi will look earlier nan US House oversight and betterment committee connected Friday greeting to reply questions astir nan Department of Justice’s handling of nan Jeffrey Epstein investigation and its merchandise of nan Epstein files nether her leadership.
The committee announced successful precocious April that Bondi would beryllium appearing earlier nan sheet arsenic portion of its investigation into Epstein, soon aft Democrats connected nan committee revenge a civilian contempt resolution against her.
Bondi’s quality comes arsenic nan justness section has faced disapproval successful recent months complete its compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act, aft nan section grounded to meet nan act’s 19 December deadline to merchandise nan applicable files, alternatively releasing what it claimed were nan afloat files connected 31 January.
Survivors of Epstein’s maltreatment person besides raised concerns that delicate individual accusation was improperly disclosed successful nan files, while respective lawmakers person besides criticized immoderate of nan redactions successful nan documents. The section has maintained that it acted successful accordance pinch nan law.
Bondi was formally subpoenaed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers connected nan committee successful March, while she was still serving arsenic lawyer general. In that subpoena letter, Representative James Comer, nan Republican who chairs nan committee, wrote that location were “questions regarding nan Department of Justice’s handling of nan investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and its compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act”.
However, aft Donald Trump removed Bondi from her role, nan committee said it was informed by nan justness section that Bondi would not beryllium appearing for nan scheduled deposition, arguing that “the committee issued nan lawsuit to Ms Bondi successful her charismatic capacity arsenic lawyer general” and Bondi “no longer holds that office” and truthful “the lawsuit nary longer obligates her to appear”.
Bondi did not look for her requested deposition date, and successful precocious April, Democrats connected nan committee revenge a civilian contempt resolution against her. Shortly afterward, nan committee announced that Bondi would look before nan sheet connected 29 May.
In a connection to nan Guardian this week, a spokesperson for nan Department of Justice said that nan adjunct lawyer wide Harmeet Dhillon and different Department of Justice unit would be Bondi’s transcribed question and reply “to assistance nan Committee successful knowing nan Department’s domiciled successful implementing and complying pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act during her tenure”.
“Because erstwhile Attorney General Bondi oversaw nan Department astatine nan clip nan Act was enacted and carried out, DOJ’s beingness is solely to guarantee meticulous practice of Department processes, facilitate immoderate basal clarifications, and support a complete actual grounds for nan Committee,” nan spokesperson said. “As pinch immoderate legislature engagement involving past Department actions, DOJ routinely provides unit pinch applicable organization knowledge to support transparency, accuracy, and practice pinch oversight responsibilities.”
In mid-March, Bondi appeared for a closed-door briefing pinch nan panel, during which Democrats stormed out, accusing her of refusing to perpetrate to complying pinch a lawsuit for her sworn grounds successful beforehand of nan committee.
Earlier this week, Axios reported that Trump had precocious appointed Bondi to an advisory committee focused connected AI policy. It was besides reported this week that Bondi was diagnosed pinch thyroid crab soon aft leaving nan justness department. She told CNN that she was undergoing treatment, and was still recovering.
