Attorney General Pam Bondi faced intense questioning Wednesday from members of the House Judiciary Committee over the Justice Department’s release and redaction of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The hearing quickly became combative as lawmakers from both parties voiced frustration with the handling of thousands of pages of documents that were made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), who helped write the law requiring those files’ release, lambasted the Justice Department for what he described as improper redactions. “Literally the worst thing you could do to the survivors, you did,” Massie told Bondi, referring to instances where victims’ names were exposed while others were hidden. “And they’re getting phone calls. A lot of these people didn’t want to be known.”
The Kentucky Republican also pressed Bondi about redactions involving former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner.
According to reporting, Bondi said Wexner’s name appeared thousands of times in the released files and that it was restored to a document “within 40 minutes” of Massie raising the issue.
Massie shot back: “Within 40 minutes of me catching you red-handed.”
Bondi did not soften her defense. She labeled Massie as having “Trump derangement syndrome” and called him a “failed politician,” according to multiple accounts of the hearing.
Democrats also pressed Bondi forcefully. In opening remarks, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) accused the attorney general of prioritizing the interests of perpetrators over victims. “You’re siding with the perpetrators, and you’re ignoring the victims,” Raskin said, adding that this approach would define Bondi’s legacy unless the department changed course.
Bondi defended the Justice Department’s work, saying the files were reviewed under tight deadlines and that officials had tried to comply with the law. According to reporting, she expressed sympathy for victims, saying she was “deeply sorry for what any victim — any victim — has been through, especially as a result of that monster.”
But repeated calls from lawmakers to directly apologize to Epstein survivors who were present in the hearing room went unanswered. In one exchange, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) asked Bondi to apologize for the department’s handling of the files. Bondi declined and, instead of addressing survivors directly, shifted focus to her predecessor. Reporting notes that Bondi said she was “not going to get in the gutter for her theatrics.”
The hearing also featured sharp interjections and personal jabs. According to verified reporting, Bondi called Raskin a “washed-up loser lawyer” during one back-and-forth.
Lawmakers’ frustration reflects broader concerns about transparency and accountability in the Justice Department’s approach to high-profile investigations. While Republicans defended Bondi’s broader record and Democrats demanded more answers, the hearing underscored deep partisan divides over how the Epstein files have been released and why specific documents remain redacted or unpublished.
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