House Democrats said they will pursue testimony from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel after former Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawmakers Blanche oversaw the Justice Department’s review of Jeffrey Epstein-related records.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
House Democrats are preparing to seek testimony from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel after former Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared behind closed doors Friday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and said Blanche managed the Justice Department’s review of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
Democrats leaving the interview said Bondi repeatedly identified Blanche as the official responsible for major parts of the records review while declining to answer questions involving President Donald Trump.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the committee’s ranking Democrat, said Democrats first want Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., to bring Blanche before the panel voluntarily. If Comer does not do so, Garcia said Democrats will attempt to force a subpoena vote.
“The request is, going in today, to Chairman [James] Comer to have Todd Blanche come in,” Garcia told reporters. “If he doesn’t do it, we’re going to force a subpoena and try to get votes — but he’s got to come in.”
Garcia said Patel is also a target for future questioning.
The Justice Department previously released millions of Epstein-related records after public pressure and action by Congress. The release prompted criticism over extensive redactions and concerns from survivors.
In prepared remarks obtained by Politico, Bondi defended the department’s handling of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed in November to require the release of records tied to Epstein.
“There were redaction errors,” Bondi said. “But since day one of this process, this Department has been committed to accountability and transparency.”
Bondi said she did not personally oversee every part of the document review and instead placed Blanche in charge of managing the process.
“As the head of a large Department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort or conduct that document review myself. I delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche,” Bondi said.
Garcia said Bondi’s testimony made clear that she was placing responsibility for the disputed release on Blanche.
“It is clear, in just this part of the interview, that she continues to push all of the investigation — and the blame — on acting AG Todd Blanche,” Garcia said. “She said, and I quote, ‘Acting AG Blanche was managing the entire investigation.’”
Garcia also said he repeatedly questioned Bondi about Trump and the Epstein files but did not receive answers.
“I also personally asked the former AG five times and five different questions about her conversations with President Trump, whether he directed her at any given time on the Epstein files, what he knew, what he asked her to redact or not, and she refused to answer any questions about President Trump,” Garcia said.
“In fact, she said that she would not speak or respond to any questions that had anything to do with President Trump,” he added.
Bondi rejected Garcia’s account after the interview in a post on X.
“NOT TRUE,” Bondi wrote. “I praised Acting AG Blanche’s management of this Herculean task. I said his ethics are beyond reproach and that he is an incredible Attorney General.”
Comer, the only Republican who attended the interview, said Bondi appeared voluntarily even though she had previously been subpoenaed.
“She didn’t do like the Clintons and take seven months to come in,” Comer told reporters. “I mean … she could have fought it.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said Bondi’s responses to Democrats generally fell into three categories.
“Every single one of our questions got one of three responses: No. 1, ‘Not to my recollection,’ or ‘I don’t know.’ No. 2, ‘Talk with Todd Blanche; I don’t know anything about it,’ and No. 3, ‘I am not talking about Donald Trump,’” Frost told reporters.
Bondi was reportedly accompanied by Justice Department lawyers, including Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. Democrats accused the department of interfering in the interview, while Dhillon said she attended “to represent the interests of the Department of Justice.”
Original article
Comments