Pam Bondi Ignites Legal Showdown Over Congressional Power After Skipping Epstein Testimony

Pam Bondi’s decision not to testify before Congress in the Jeffrey Epstein probe is quickly turning into a high-stakes clash over legal authority and public accountability.

The former attorney general was expected to appear before the House Oversight Committee on April 14, but the Justice Department informed lawmakers she would not attend, arguing the subpoena no longer applies now that she is no longer serving in that role.

According to the Justice Department, Bondi was subpoenaed specifically in her capacity as attorney general, and with her removal from that position, officials say she is no longer obligated to appear. In a letter to lawmakers, the department stated that “because Ms. Bondi no longer can testify in her official capacity as Attorney General, the Department’s position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear.”

But members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are pushing back, arguing the subpoena applies to Bondi as an individual, not just her former title.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R–S.C.) wrote that the “subpoena was issued to ‘Pam Bondi,’ not ‘the Attorney General,’” while Rep. Ro Khanna (D–Calif.) added, “The cover-up continues, but we will fight for accountability.”

The House Oversight Committee has made clear it still intends to secure Bondi’s testimony, with plans to contact her personal counsel to reschedule the deposition.

Top Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia warned that failure to comply could trigger serious consequences. “She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress,” he said, adding that “the survivors deserve justice.”

The standoff comes as lawmakers continue pressing for answers about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein investigation, including a controversial memo stating no additional charges would be filed and disputes over the release of case files.

Legal experts say the situation could escalate quickly if Bondi refuses to appear.

“Congress has the ability to issue a subpoena for anyone whether they’re in an administration or just a public citizen,” says Spencer T. Kuvin, chief legal officer of GOLDLAW. “If you fail to respond to that subpoena, you can be held in contempt of Congress.”

Kuvin notes that contempt proceedings would require a vote, and while outcomes can be politically influenced, the consequences are serious.

“Contempt of Congress carries with it the potential for incarceration,” he points out. “A good example of this is Steve Bannon.”

“Pam Bondi is showing the same lack of regard for the rule of law as she did while serving as Attorney General,” said Robert McWhirter, Constitutional scholar, criminal defense attorney, and author of Fixing the Framers Failure. “The term subpoena literally means ‘under penalty’ and is a fundamental power granted by the US Constitution to Congress and the Courts. You can’t simply ignore them on a whim without significant legal consequences.”

For victims and their families, the delay is another frustrating chapter in a yearslong fight for transparency.

“Regardless of how you cut it, former Attorney General Pam Bondi has been subpoenaed and must testify before the House subcommittee,” Sky and Amanda Roberts, relatives of late Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, said in a statement. “Survivors are standing by. We are not going anywhere.”

Other survivors echoed that urgency, with Maria and Annie Farmer saying the deposition should happen “immediately.”

“Survivors have waited nearly three decades for answers — how much longer must we wait?” they said in a statement. “Until Bondi’s deposition happens and her testimony is given under oath, we will continue asking Congress to use every lever possible to ensure justice is served.”