Pam Bondi faces a closed-door questioning from House lawmakers over the Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is testifying earlier House lawmakers investigating Jeffrey Epstein's intersexual maltreatment cases, a long-awaited quality that brings caller scrutiny of the Trump administration's botched merchandise of the Epstein lawsuit files.

Bondi, who arrived Friday greeting connected Capitol Hill for her interview, was defiant successful erstwhile nationalist grounds erstwhile she was confronted by lawmakers astir the Epstein investigation. It's unclear whether she'll bring the aforesaid attack Friday, present that she is nary longer successful complaint of the Justice Department. The league volition beryllium held down closed doors.

The transcribed Bondi interrogation volition springiness lawmakers a accidental to excavation for accusation connected the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files and different related matters, including the situation condemnation of Epstein's erstwhile woman and confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“I deliberation she perfectly could wide up galore missing pieces if she wanted to,” said Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat connected the House Oversight Committee. “Now it’s a question of whether oregon not she is consenting to beryllium transparent.”

Epstein killed himself successful a New York City jailhouse compartment successful 2019 portion awaiting trial. Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted successful 2021 of luring teenage girls to beryllium sexually abused by Epstein but has insisted she’s innocent, arguing she ne'er should person been prosecuted. The Justice Department moved Maxwell from a national situation successful Florida to a situation campy successful Texas past August.

Lawmakers are trying to find retired what decisions prosecutors person made astir investigating Epstein associates, however the Justice Department handled the legislature mandate to merchandise the Epstein lawsuit files and whether President Donald Trump was progressive successful the process.

Several survivors of Epstein's maltreatment besides gathered extracurricular the Capitol bureau wherever the interrogation was taking place. They tried to marque their beingness known to Bondi arsenic she entered the room, but respective said they were shoved speech by constabulary officers.

The survivors besides implored lawmakers to clasp Bondi accountable for the handling of the Epstein lawsuit files' release, which included the idiosyncratic accusation of imaginable victims.

They confronted the committee chair, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, and helium told them that helium would property for the implicit merchandise of lawsuit files mandated by law.

“We privation justness for the survivors, we do,” Comer added.

Bondi, who revealed this week that she is being treated for thyroid cancer, has stayed wrong the Republican president's orbit adjacent aft being ousted from her occupation successful aboriginal April.

Trump appointed Bondi to a White House sheet connected artificial quality this week, and she volition beryllium accompanied Friday by Justice Department officials, including Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the department's Civil Rights Division, acting arsenic her counsel.

Democrats accidental that statement is simply a struggle of interest.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department said the officials were determination to assistance lawmakers recognize the department's process for releasing the lawsuit files.

Bondi was cardinal to the Epstein saga

Bondi has been cardinal to the governmental firestorm implicit Epstein, initially raising expectations for the afloat merchandise of what's known arsenic the Epstein files, lone to aboriginal backtrack. That reversal prompted Congress to measurement successful and walk a instrumentality requiring the release.

Bondi faced adjacent much backlash erstwhile the Justice Department's merchandise of the files was delayed and past included idiosyncratic accusation and nude photos of respective imaginable victims. She has insisted successful legislature hearings that she was trying to travel the law.

The House Oversight Committee, meanwhile, has been conducting a wide-ranging probe into Epstein that spans aggregate statesmanlike administrations.

The interrogation format is already contentious

Bondi was subpoenaed by the committee successful March successful a bipartisan vote, but she tried to caput disconnected that request by holding a closed-door gathering with lawmakers that month. The maneuver lone added to the enmity betwixt Bondi and Democrats connected the committee.

Bondi's departure from the Justice Department besides raised doubts astir the enforcement of the legislature subpoena. After the committee's Democrats maneuvered to property for a civilian contempt of Congress solution against Bondi, she agreed to beryllium for a transcribed interrogation alternatively than a sworn deposition.

Democrats connected the Oversight sheet person criticized that arrangement, saying that it allows Bondi to diminution to reply questions. They besides objected to Comer's determination not to video the interview.

“We proceed to beryllium incredibly disappointed of the determination to not person this interrogation videotaped and past released to the American public,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the apical Democrat connected the panel.

Comer has said helium is allowing Bondi to beryllium for a transcribed interrogation alternatively than a deposition arsenic an inducement to cooperate. Previously, helium had enforced a subpoena connected erstwhile President Bill Clinton and erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton aft they resisted the demand. Both of their depositions were video-recorded.

Still, Comer said Bondi could look prosecution if she lies to Congress. He said the committee would besides merchandise a transcript of the interview.

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