The U.S. House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Justice Department’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Michael Cloud, R-Texas, Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Scott Perry, R-Penn., and Nancy Mace., R-S.C., voted with Democrats to advance the subpoena.
Members of the committee said they called the subpoena so Bondi could explain why documents have not been added to the Justice Department’s release of files associated with Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
“Let’s have Pam Bondi tell us why half the files are still hidden,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. “It’s about going after predators.”
Members of Congress said they have reviewed files released in association with the investigation into Epstein and have claimed the Trump administration deleted certain documents.
In addition to Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will sit for a transcribed interview before the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said.
Lutnick is mentioned in several points throughout the documents released by the Justice Department. Lutnick and Epstein were neighbors in New York City for several years. In one instance, Lutnick reached out to Epstein by email to request his presence at a fundraising event for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
A Feb. 14 letter to members of Congress written by Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed that no records were withheld or redacted based on embarrassment or reputational harm.
However, some reports have claimed the Justice Department did not release documents related to a woman who said President Donald Trump sexually abused her as a minor.
The missing documents allegedly include FBI memos summarizing interviews the woman had with federal agents in 2019. The woman claimed she was sexually abused in the 1980s by Trump when she was 13 years old.
The Justice Department released notes from the interview where the woman accused Epstein, but did not include documents related to Trump.
“AG Bondi will testify about missing Epstein evidence. The videos, the audio, the documents the DOJ is hiding,” Mace wrote on social media. “The American people deserve transparency. Survivors deserve justice. We’re delivering both. Accountability is coming.”
