Bondi defies bipartisan subpoena on Epstein files as DOJ claims firing makes it moot
The Justice Department told the House Oversight Committee that Pam Bondi's subpoena is no longer binding because Trump fired her as AG, but lawmakers from both parties say it was issued to her by name and threaten contempt charges.
The Justice Department informed the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for her scheduled April 14 deposition on the DOJ's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, arguing the bipartisan subpoena is effectively moot.
Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis wrote to Committee Chairman James Comer that the subpoena targeted Bondi "in her official capacity as Attorney General" -- a position she lost when Trump fired her on April 2 -- and asked the chairman to confirm the subpoena is withdrawn.
The legal dispute
The DOJ's argument hinges on a distinction between official and personal capacity. The subpoena cover letter, issued March 17, was addressed to "Pamela J. Bondi, Attorney General of the United States" and sought information from her "[a]s Attorney General."
But the lawmakers who forced the subpoena reject that framing. Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), who led the bipartisan push, wrote to Comer that Bondi's removal "does not diminish the Committee's legitimate oversight interests" and in fact "makes her sworn testimony even more important."
Mace has argued the subpoena was issued to Bondi by name, not by title -- a distinction that would survive her departure from office.
Contempt on the table
Ranking Member Robert Garcia escalated the standoff: "If she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress." Garcia called on Bondi to "come in to testify immediately," arguing the subpoena is binding regardless of her employment status.
The committee has not withdrawn the subpoena. A spokesperson said it will contact Bondi's personal counsel to schedule a deposition -- a signal that Comer is not accepting the DOJ's position outright.
What Bondi knows
The Oversight Committee's investigation centers on the DOJ's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed in November 2025 requiring the release of all Epstein-related records. Lawmakers on both sides have accused the DOJ under Bondi of withholding roughly three million pages of documents, excessively redacting hundreds of thousands more, and restricting how members of Congress could review the files.
Bondi herself fueled scrutiny in February 2025 when she told Fox News that "an Epstein client list is sitting on my desk right now." The DOJ later said no such list exists.
The bipartisan subpoena passed the committee on March 4 after Rep. Mace forced a vote. Comer issued it formally on March 17, setting the April 14 deposition date. Six days before that deadline, Trump removed Bondi from the Cabinet.
What happens next
The committee's decision to reach out to Bondi's personal counsel suggests it views her as obligated to testify as a private citizen. If Bondi continues to refuse, contempt proceedings would require a full committee vote and then a House floor vote -- a process that would test whether Republicans who supported the subpoena are willing to hold a fellow Republican in contempt.