Pam Bondi to Face Lawmakers Over Justice Department Handling of Epstein Files

Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to appear before lawmakers on Wednesday as criticism intensifies over the Justice Department’s handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The hearing comes amid concerns that recently released documents exposed sensitive private information about victims despite redaction efforts.

Bondi is facing renewed scrutiny after the department released millions of additional pages linked to Epstein. Some victims have described the disclosures as sloppy and incomplete.

It will mark Bondi’s first appearance before Congress since a contentious hearing in October, when she deflected questions from Democrats and responded with political counterattacks.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are expected to question Bondi about how the department determined which materials to release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Congress passed the law after the department announced in July that no further files would be made public, a decision that had drawn criticism from conservative commentators.

Bondi has faced backlash since distributing binders of Epstein documents to social media influencers at the White House in February. The binders did not contain new revelations, prompting further calls from supporters of President Donald Trump for broader disclosure.

The hearing follows visits by several lawmakers to a Justice Department office to review unredacted versions of the files. Lawmakers were given access to more than 3 million documents in a secure reading room equipped with four computers and were permitted to take handwritten notes.

Democrats have accused the department of redacting information that should have been disclosed, including details that could draw scrutiny to Epstein’s associates. At the same time, some victims have criticized the department for inconsistent or insufficient redactions that resulted in the release of nude images and other private material.

The Justice Department has defended the release of more than 3 million pages of records, along with over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. Media organizations, including The Associated Press, are reviewing the documents.

During review found that investigators gathered substantial evidence that Epstein sexually abused underage girls. However, records indicated limited evidence that he operated a sex trafficking ring serving powerful individuals. A prosecutor wrote in a 2025 memo that videos and photographs seized from Epstein’s properties in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands did not show victims being abused or implicate others in his crimes.