The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee formally subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before lawmakers over her department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., issued the subpoena after five Republicans on the Oversight Committee and all Democrats voted in favor of a motion to call Bondi to testify about the release of troves of documents related to years of investigations into the late sex offender and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. The motion was brought by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., earlier this month.
A Justice Department spokesperson called the subpoena “completely unnecessary” in a statement to MS NOW.
“Lawmakers have been invited to view the unredacted files for themselves at the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General has always made herself available to speak directly with members of Congress,” the DOJ spokesperson said, adding, “As always, we look forward to continuing to provide policymakers with the facts.”
Comer’s subpoena is the latest sign of the growing tensions between Bondi, the nation’s top law enforcement official, and Republicans. She previously testified about her department’s handling of the files last month in a heated hearing with the House Judiciary Committee.
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche have faced bipartisan accusations of slow-walking the release of the files after the DOJ failed to meet the legal deadline for fully releasing them in December.
At the time, Blanche said the DOJ would release the Epstein files on a rolling basis, which appeared to violate the law Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed, mandating the full release of “all unclassified records” by Dec. 19, 2025. The DOJ’s failure to comply with the law is part of the Oversight Committee’s investigation. In a letter notifying Bondi of the subpoena, Comer said the Oversight Committee is “reviewing the possible mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation” of Epstein and Maxwell. He added that “the committee has questions regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.” Blanche is slated to join Bondi in a closed-door briefing before members of the Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Bondi’s deposition before the committee is slated to take place on April 14, Comer wrote in his letter on Tuesday. Several high-profile figures have testified before the Oversight Committee as part of its Epstein investigation, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Sydney Carruth is a breaking news reporter covering national politics and policy for MS NOW. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at SydneyCarruth.46 or follow her work on X and Bluesky. Recommended
