Attorney General Pam Bondi launched a combative defense of President Trump and the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, clashing aggressively with Democrats who accused her of politicization and an 'Epstein coverup.'
During a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi aggressively defended President Donald Trump and her Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, positioning herself as Trump's chief protector. Bondi repeatedly shouted at and mocked Democratic lawmakers, praising Trump's successes while deflecting criticism over the department's perceived politicization and the controversial release of Epstein-related documents. Democrats, including Reps. Jamie Raskin and Becca Balint, accused Bondi of refusing to answer questions, presiding over an 'Epstein coverup,' and releasing files with haphazard redactions that exposed victims' sensitive information. Bondi, in turn, accused Democrats of using the Epstein files to distract from Trump's achievements and called Raskin a 'washed-up loser lawyer.' Despite her earlier suggestion of a potential 'client list,' the Justice Department later concluded no such list existed, a finding that further fueled congressional demands for file release. Republicans, like Rep. Jim Jordan, lauded Bondi for restoring the Justice Department's core missions, while Democrats criticized her for siding with perpetrators over victims and for the department's alleged targeting of political foes, including a failed attempt to indict Democratic lawmakers. Bondi maintained the department did its best with the file release and was focused on reducing violent crime, rejecting accusations of politicization.
