Full Breakdown
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi to Testify on Epstein Files
4/29/2026, 8:57:18 PM
Testimony Set Amid Contempt Threat
Former Florida AG Pam Bondi will appear before the House Oversight Committee on May 29, 2026 for a closed-door hearing. She missed a March subpoena-driven deposition on April 14, prompting Democrats to pursue a civil contempt resolution.
Background & Context
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed the March subpoena, gaining bipartisan support from all Democrats. The DOJ argued Bondi’s 2024 removal by President Trump ended her duty to testify, but the committee says the subpoena targets her personal knowledge of the Epstein files.
Timeline
- March 2026: Committee votes to subpoena Bondi.
- April 14, 2026: Bondi misses scheduled deposition.
- May 29, 2026: Bondi’s appearance confirmed.
Key Figures & Groups
Pam Bondi (former Florida AG); Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), ranking member; Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chair; Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN); Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA); Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM); Acting AG Todd Blanche.
Data & Statistics
The committee says about 2.5 million Epstein files remain withheld and that dozens of potentially prosecutable crimes appear in the unredacted material.
Official Statements & Responses
Democrats called Bondi’s refusal defiance and warned contempt charges will follow if she does not testify, arguing her tenure gave her control over the files and makes her testimony essential. The DOJ says the subpoena does not bind a former official, a view the committee rejected.
Criticism & Opposition
Rep. Burchett (R-TN) said Bondi “didn’t have the knowledge of any of that stuff.” Rep. Subramanyam (D-VA) highlighted the 2.5 million withheld files and urged accountability. Several GOP members balked at a contempt vote, citing limited insight.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether the subpoena applies to Bondi’s former official role or personal capacity. The exact number of files released versus the 2.5 million withheld is unverified, and the plan to interview Acting AG Todd Blanche remains unconfirmed. Media call Bondi’s timing “unclear choreography.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Pam Bondi has illegally defied our committee, skipped her deposition, and has refused to cooperate.” — Robert Garcia, Ranking Member, House Oversight Committee
- “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.” — Melanie Stansbury, Representative, New Mexico
- “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 and a half million files have been withheld,” — Suhas Subramanyam, Representative, Virginia
- “First thing she said was she’s going to release all this stuff that nobody had, and it was stuff everybody had. I just don’t think she — I think she just didn’t have the knowledge of any of that stuff.” — Tim Burchett, Representative, Tennessee
What’s Next
The committee will next subpoena Acting AG Todd Blanche and consider contempt.
