Dems Push Bondi Contempt Over Epstein Files No-Show

House Democrats on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee want to hold former Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for skipping an April 14 deposition regarding her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

But many Republicans are not on board, according to The Hill.

While the Department of Justice argued Bondi's subpoena was tied to her position as attorney general, House Democrats contend she was subpoenaed as an individual and must comply.

"I mean to say that the person who was at the helm of the department that was charged with releasing these files, and, quite frankly, herself was the face of wanting to release the files at the outset of the administration, and just the trajectory that we've seen take place since then — she has a lot of information," Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., who serves on the panel, told The Hill.

"She was the one managing the entire process."

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., and other Democrats on the House panel have moved for contempt proceedings, warning of potential "inherent contempt" to compel her testimony.

"Pam Bondi is once again defying a legally binding subpoena. Regardless of her title, she is required to follow the law, just like any other person in this country," Lee said in a statement last week.

"I previously moved to hold her in contempt; there's no reason we cannot try again. Bondi must be held accountable for her handling of the Epstein files, for weaponizing the Department of Justice, and for evading the law."

Some Republicans argue the issue should be dropped.

But Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said Bondi does need to comply with the subpoena.

"We're going to reach out to her personal attorney because the subpoena is still to her," he said.

"I don't like people not coming in when we assign them, but unfortunately, it's happened a lot over the last three years, and the Democrats never say a word. But we expect to hear from Bondi, and hopefully we'll have her in front of the committee very soon."

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., told the Hill Bondi's tenure was especially significant. 

"Listen, Pam Bondi has served as the AG for over a year," she said. "She violated a congressional subpoena demanding the files, and she repeatedly, over her entire term of service as the AG, engaged in manufactured lies to the American people over the Epstein case.

"In addition to that, based on what I've seen in the unredacted files, there are dozens of potentially prosecutable crimes and cases in the Epstein files, and they have not pursued a single investigation."

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., added: "I don't understand why they wouldn't think the former attorney general, who is the sole reason why so many files were withheld for so long, and who had custody over them and complete control over the situation, wouldn't have information about why 2 1/2 million files have been withheld."

• Bondi's Statement on the AG Office Shake-Up
• Pam Bondi Out as Attorney General