Members of the House Oversight Committee said on Wednesday that they still want sworn testimony from former Attorney General Pam Bondi about the Justice Department's handling of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein, keeping pressure on the former attorney general even after President Donald Trump removed her from the post last week.
The immediate fight centers on whether Bondi must still sit for a scheduled deposition after the Justice Department informed Congress that she would not appear. Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis told the committee that the subpoena was no longer valid because Bondi had been subpoenaed in her official capacity as attorney general, a role she no longer holds after being fired.
However, lawmakers on the panel, including Republicans, indicated they are still weighing ways to compel testimony, such as contacting Bondi through private counsel and seeking to reschedule the deposition.
Lawmakers have been examining the Justice Department's release of Epstein-related files after complaints that the production was incomplete, excessively redacted, and, in some cases, mishandled sensitive information involving victims. The committee had already pressed Bondi and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a private session, but some members walked out and demanded sworn public testimony instead.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has been among the lawmakers insisting that Bondi still testify, and AP reported Wednesday that the committee is working with Bondi's personal counsel to reschedule the interview. That suggests House Republicans are not prepared to let the matter fade away simply because Bondi has left office. She wrote on social media that "Fired or not, Pam Bondi took an oath in the name of justice, one she should uphold in good conscience. Compliance is not optional just because you no longer hold the title."
Fired or not, Pam Bondi took an oath in the name of justice, one she should uphold in good conscience.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 8, 2026
Compliance is not optional just because you no longer hold the title.
Democrats, led on the panel by Rep. Robert Garcia of California, have gone even further, warning that refusal to comply could eventually trigger contempt efforts. However, any such move would likely require Republican support. Garcia wrote, "Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not. She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress. The survivors deserve justice."
Bondi's ouster itself appears deeply tied to the Epstein controversy. Reuters reported that Trump fired Bondi on April 2 after growing criticism over her management of the Epstein files release, which had become a political headache inside and outside the administration. Trump named former deputy attorney general Todd Blanche as acting attorney general, though the president has also privately discussed other possible permanent replacements.
The legal argument from the Justice Department may buy Bondi time, but it has not settled the political issue. The House committee's view, reflected in statements from its members, is that Bondi remains a central witness because the questions are about decisions made under her leadership, not merely about the title she held when the subpoena was issued.
