Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not attend a scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee concerning the investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein, as announced by the committee’s Republican majority. This decision came to light on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the committee mentioned that the Department of Justice indicated Bondi would not be present for the deposition set for April 14 since she is no longer in office. She was subpoenaed in her role as Attorney General. The committee plans to reach out to her personal attorney to discuss potential next steps for rescheduling.
Even so, the subpoena has not been revoked, meaning Bondi may still have to testify.
Democratic committee members have contested the Justice Department’s rationale in a statement.
Robert Garcia, an official with the Oversight Committee, criticized Bondi’s attempt to evade her legal duty to testify. He stated, “Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she is trying to escape her legal obligation to testify about the Epstein case and the White House cover-up.” Garcia claimed the bipartisan subpoena is directed at Bondi personally, irrespective of her position.
President Trump recently removed Bondi from the Justice Department after facing bipartisan scrutiny regarding his handling of the Epstein case. Garcia also mentioned intentions to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress if she does not comply with the subpoena.
The committee could recommend criminal charges against Bondi if she fails to appear, but this would require a vote from the full House, with the final decision resting with the Justice Department.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, when asked whether Bondi should comply, deferred the issue back to the committee, indicating uncertainty about what should happen next.
Interestingly, there seems to be a split among committee members regarding the situation, especially with five Republican senators casting votes aligned with the Democratic Party. Bondi is expected to be subpoenaed in March, although some members, like Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), have urged for a public reaffirmation of Bondi’s obligation to testify.
Several former officials from the Trump administration have already provided testimony to the committee regarding the Epstein investigation. Requests for comments have been sent to the Department of Justice.
