Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will not testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case [1, 2].
The refusal to testify complicates congressional efforts to determine how federal authorities managed the Epstein investigation and whether specific procedural failures occurred. The case remains a point of significant public interest due to the nature of the crimes involved.
Bondi was subpoenaed approximately 30 days before April 2026 [4]. A deposition had been scheduled for April 14, 2026 [5], but she is not expected to appear. The Justice Department said in a letter to Congress that "the former attorney general shouldn't have to testify" [3].
According to the DOJ, Bondi is not obligated to appear because she is no longer in her former role [1, 2]. This position has drawn criticism from lawmakers who seek answers on the internal handling of the Epstein files. Some members of the committee are now pushing to reschedule the proceedings to address the gap in testimony [2].
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said, "Bondi should be held in contempt over her refusal to give testimony" [3]. Other reports indicate that Bondi could be held in contempt for skipping the testimony [3].
The House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C., continues to investigate the Justice Department's actions [2]. The committee's goal is to uncover how the department managed the case, and why certain files were handled in specific ways [1, 2].
“"Bondi should be held in contempt over her refusal to give testimony."”
The standoff between the House Oversight Committee and the Justice Department highlights a recurring legal tension over the reach of congressional subpoenas for former government officials. By shielding a former official from testimony based on their current employment status, the DOJ is limiting the scope of the Epstein probe, potentially leaving key questions about government accountability unanswered.
