Attorney General Pam Bondi’s House Hearing Turns Chaotic

Just before Attorney General Pam Bondi exited her motorcade and stepped into the Rayburn House office building, a large, stuffed white binder appeared out of nowhere. I was in the hallway with photographer Tom Williams, getting ready for Bondi’s entrance. He took the far side, while I positioned myself closer to the entrance. Others, like Ali Vitali from MS NOW and Jay O’Brien from ABC, were stationed at the sidewalls.

Then, a member of Bondi’s team instructed, “Let her come into the room.” I had to point out, politely, that the hallway was open and not controlled by the Capitol Police, so it seemed fair to refer questions to the Attorney General myself.

This was the start of a familiar but complicated interaction among reporters, security, aides, and Cabinet members at major congressional hearings. The binder’s significance wasn’t immediately clear, but its size couldn’t be overlooked.

Aides customarily tote briefing books for testimony, but honestly, this binder looked almost excessive—like something you might haul from Kinko’s back in the day. The contents were set to be pivotal in Bondi’s upcoming testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

But first, the pressing matter was questioning Bondi as she arrived. There were numerous issues on the table that could be addressed.

While Bondi wasn’t there specifically to talk about the Epstein case, Democrats and a Republican were keen to shift the hearing’s focus toward the Justice Department’s release of redacted documents. This was something I wanted to delve into.

In the midst of this, news came through about a detainee near the Mexican border linked to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. It made me curious about what Bondi knew regarding the FBI’s involvement.

Then a puzzling announcement echoed through the air: El Paso’s airport would shut down for ten days. Was there a terrorist threat? Or was it related to cartel issues? There were even whispers about the Justice Department planning to indict six Democratic Congress members for allegedly encouraging military personnel to disregard unlawful orders, though a grand jury had not pursued those charges.

With reporters ready, we anticipated Bondi’s entry and quickly gathered our questions as she walked through the horseshoe-shaped entrance into the back area.

In moments like these, reporters aim for strategic “walk-and-talks.” You fire off concise questions as quickly as possible. If she doesn’t respond well, you just pivot to another topic. In hindsight, I might have started with Epstein, but the urgency surrounding Nancy Guthrie had taken the spotlight.

As I got closer to Bondi, I asked, “Do you have any comments on the Guthrie investigation?”

Her answer? “Yeah, I can’t talk about that right now. I’m praying for Savannah and her family.” Well, okay, that was expected.

I shifted gears. “What’s up with El Paso? Why the shutdown?”

All I got back was, “I can’t argue with that.” Not much to work with.

Next, I aimed to tackle the subject of the Epstein files, noting criticism about the redaction of certain documents. “What’s going on there?” I asked.

She assured, “We’re going to talk about that today.” But my colleague then jumped in with more probing questions, and again, no response from Bondi.

Chaos ensued as the crowd swarmed. Reporters and camera operators jostled for space, while guards provided some cover for Bondi, who was making her way toward the Judiciary Committee’s back entrance.

As Bondi prepared to head inside, I squeezed in one last question: “What about the failed indictment of the six deputies?”

“I’ll refer that to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro,” she shot back, basically passing the buck.

This hearing was becoming increasingly tumultuous. Bondi had initially managed to keep her cool, but as she faced numerous accusations from Democrats, her responses turned sharper. She aggressively countered, citing specific sections in big binders that detailed legislative histories and positions. She labeled Democrats with derogatory terms, like “washed-up loser lawyer.” It wasn’t pretty.

Representative Jared Moskowitz attempted a baiting question, urging Bondi to “do everything in his power” against his political opponents—a tactic that will likely backfire.

As the hearing devolved into hours of tumult and shouting, it left a significant impression. The utter mayhem suggested that all of this—the arguments, the loud exchanges—could easily fill an entire library of overstuffed binders.