A House Judiciary Committee hearing turns heated after a Democratic lawmaker denounces the attorney general for “lying under oath” over the US Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Attending the hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Ted Lieu played a decades-old video clip showing the convicted late child sex trafficker Epstein and Donald Trump speaking at a party. In response, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime.”
‘Don’t you ever accuse me’
Lieu then condemned Bondi for “lying under oath,” saying that a witness had reported talking to a woman, who said she was raped by Trump.
“Don’t you ever accuse me” of committing a crime, Bondi snapped back.
Trump has never been charged with an Epstein-related crime and has denied any wrongdoing tied to his relationship with him.
The condemnation pointing to false testimony unfolded amid broader clashes over the Justice Department’s handling of materials connected to Epstein, who died in 2019, while awaiting trial on child sex abuse charges.
Democratic lawmakers repeatedly pressed Bondi on why additional individuals appearing in the Epstein files had not faced charges. Bondi pointed to a memo from last summer in which the Justice Department and the FBI had said investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie also confronted Bondi over redactions in an FBI document listing potential co-conspirators. After Massie questioned why billionaire Les Wexner’s name had been obscured, Bondi said, “Within 40 minutes, Wexner’s name was added back.”
“In 40 minutes of me catching you red handed,” Massie retorted.
The hearing was marked by numerous other repeated verbal confrontations. Bondi called Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the committee, a “washed-up loser lawyer” and added, “Not even a lawyer.”
When Raskin warned her against filibustering, Bondi responded, “You don’t tell me anything.”
Rep. Hank Johnson accused her of doing a “Jekyll and Hyde kind of routine,” suggesting she treated Republicans and Democrats differently. “What does Jekyll and Hyde mean? Can you explain that?” Bondi replied.
Elsewhere, Bondi declined to give yes-or-no answers about the Justice Department’s compliance with Trump’s “domestic terrorism” executive order. “I’m not going to commit to anything to you, because you won’t let me answer questions,” she told Rep. Mary Scanlon. When Scanlon said, “I think we get it. You don’t want to answer the question,” Bondi responded, “No, you don’t get anything.”
Survivors attest to DOJ non-cooperation
Bondi directly addressed Epstein survivors seated behind her, telling them she was “deeply sorry” for the abuse they had suffered at the hands of “that monster.”
Moments later, Rep. Pramila Jayapal asked survivors in the room to stand and raise their hands if they had not been able to meet with the department’s personnel about their abuse. According to Jayapal, every victim who stood raised their hand.
When Jayapal asked Bondi to “apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through,” Bondi resisted, saying she would not be drawn into “the gutter” for Jayapal’s “theatrics.”
Clemency questions and DOJ decisions
Bondi also faced questions about Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to abuse minors. Bondi said Maxwell would “hopefully die in prison.”
Asked whether Trump should pardon or commute Maxwell’s sentence, Bondi replied, “I already answered that question.” Trump has not ruled out the possibility of clemency.
In another exchange, Bondi confirmed that former FBI agent Jared Wise, who was indicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack and was heard on video shouting “Kill ‘em! Kill ‘em! Kill ‘em!,” is now a DOJ employee. “I believe he was pardoned by President Trump,” Bondi said.
The hearing also underscored deep partisan divisions over the Justice Department’s direction under Bondi concerning such matters as investigations into immigration enforcement actions.
