Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General, said she delegated oversight of the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files to Todd Blanche.
This testimony comes as lawmakers seek to determine the level of accountability and transparency within the DOJ's review of the Epstein records. The delegation of such sensitive materials to a senior counsel raises questions about the chain of command and decision-making processes during the review.
Bondi provided this testimony on May 29, 2026 [1], during a closed-door, transcribed interview before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at the U.S. Capitol. The session marked her first return to Capitol Hill since her departure from the DOJ.
During the interview, Bondi said that she was not personally leading every aspect of the DOJ’s Epstein-file review. She said that the oversight of the process was assigned to Blanche, who serves as the DOJ’s senior counsel.
"I did not lead every aspect of the effort; I delegated it to Todd Blanche," Bondi said.
Bondi reiterated this point throughout the testimony, saying, "I delegated the oversight of the Epstein files to Todd Blanche," and later noted, "I delegated the process to Todd Blanche."
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has been investigating the handling of these files to ensure that all relevant information regarding the deceased financier's network has been properly addressed. The transcribed nature of the interview means the specific questions and full responses may be subject to further committee review before public release.
“"I did not lead every aspect of the effort; I delegated it to Todd Blanche."”
The admission that a senior counsel, rather than the Attorney General, managed the Epstein file review shifts the focus of congressional inquiry toward Todd Blanche's specific role and discretion. This delegation may be scrutinized to determine if it served as a buffer for leadership or if it was a standard administrative procedure for complex document reviews.
