Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearing

What happened

Attorney General Pam Bondi Wednesday sparred with Democrats and praised President Donald Trump in a heated House Judiciary Committee hearing that focused largely on the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Bondi pointedly refused to apologize to Epstein victims sitting behind her and deflected most questions from Democrats and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) with insults drawn from a binder she brought to the hearing. The contentious five-hour hearing also touched on Trump’s immigration actions and Bondi’s efforts to prosecute the president’s perceived enemies.

Who said what

Throughout the “bitter back-and-forth” with Democrats, The New York Times said, Bondi largely imitated Trump’s “tactic of going on the attack when facing tough questions,” offering “few detailed answers” and “no admissions of fault.” Bondi offered a “passionate defense” of Trump but struggled to “turn the page from relentless criticism” of her department’s mishandling of the Epstein files, The Associated Press said.

Going into Wednesday’s hearing, Democrats were expecting Bondi “to be nonresponsive and combative,” Politico said. “They walked out with what they believe to be a more compelling argument for winning back the majority.” Facing “an American public that really does want answers,” CNN said, Bondi instead performed for an “audience of one,” which may end up being “politically unwise.”

What next?

Bondi “hinted of further investigations of Trump critics in the works,” The Washington Post said. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told reporters that if Democrats won control of the House in November, “we would subpoena her, and we would require her to answer our questions.” Massie said his fellow Republicans went easy on Bondi because “nobody wants to get on the bad side of Trump,” but “that’ll change once we get past our primaries.”