Pam Bondi could face contempt proceedings if she does not testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into the federal handling of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi did not appear for a scheduled deposition Tuesday, prompting accusations from lawmakers that she is evading a lawful congressional subpoena.
Her absence, however, was not unexpected. A committee spokeswoman said earlier this month that the Justice Department told lawmakers Bondi would not appear because she is no longer serving as attorney general and was subpoenaed in that capacity.
The committee voted in March to issue the subpoena, with five Republicans joining Democrats in support.
RELATED STORY | Who is Todd Blanche? What to know about Trump's pick for acting attorney general
Bondi was attorney general at the time but was removed from the post by President Donald Trump on April 2. Trump said she would move to a role in the private sector.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking Democrat, insists the subpoena still applies to Bondi even though she is no longer attorney general.
"She must appear before the Committee, and if she continues to ignore the law, Oversight Democrats will move forward with contempt proceedings immediately," he said.
Bondi was attorney general when the Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law, requiring the Justice Department to release federal investigative records related to Epstein. While millions of documents have been made public, Bondi faced criticism from some lawmakers and victims who said the department shielded powerful figures by redacting names, while leaving some victims’ identities unredacted.
