House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer formally issued a subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, compelling her to appear before Congress. The subpoena demands Bondi's testimony regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) management of the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
"As Attorney General, you are directly responsible for overseeing the Department’s collection, review, and determinations regarding the release of files pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and the Committee therefore believes that you possess valuable insight into these efforts." — Representative James Comer, House Oversight Committee Chairman
The subpoena, issued by Representative Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, requires Attorney General Bondi to attend a closed-door deposition on April 14. This congressional action stems from concerns over potential mismanagement of the federal probe into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death, and how their influence may have shielded their sex-trafficking operations from scrutiny by elected officials.
In his formal letter to Bondi, Chairman Comer stated: “As Attorney General, you are directly responsible for overseeing the Department’s collection, review, and determinations regarding the release of files pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and the Committee therefore believes that you possess valuable insight into these efforts.” The committee’s decision to subpoena Bondi was approved on March 4, with five Republicans joining all Democrats in a bipartisan vote to advance the measure. The motion to subpoena was notably introduced by Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, according to CBS News.
The core of the committee’s inquiry revolves around the DOJ’s adherence to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This legislation, which garnered overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress, was signed into law by President Donald Trump in mid-November. The Act mandated the full release of “all unclassified records” related to the Epstein investigation by December 19, 2025. However, the DOJ failed to meet this legal deadline, prompting widespread concern among lawmakers.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche previously indicated that the department would release the Epstein files on a rolling basis. This approach appeared to be in conflict with the Act’s clear mandate for a comprehensive release by the specified deadline. To date, only approximately half of the six million pages of documents reportedly in the Justice Department’s possession have been released. A CBS News analysis indicates that around three million pages have been made public in several batches. Tens of thousands of files, some of which contained explicit images or sensitive survivor information, have been withheld or redacted.
The stalled and partial release of these critical documents has provoked strong reactions from members across the political spectrum. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, have both expressed strong dissatisfaction, with some considering holding Attorney General Bondi in inherent contempt of Congress. Representative Khanna also raised the possibility of impeaching Bondi over the perceived mismanagement of the file release.
Further complicating matters, a new controversy emerged during a Congressional hearing. Attorney General Bondi disclosed that the DOJ possessed records documenting which specific files each lawmaker on the Oversight Committee had reviewed during their in-person visits to the department. Lawmakers had been permitted to review unredacted files with only pen and paper under a prior arrangement. This disclosure prompted a rare public rebuke from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, according to reports, raising questions about the privacy and oversight of congressional review processes.
In response to the subpoena, the Department of Justice issued a statement on Tuesday, calling the action “completely unnecessary,” according to ClickOrlando. The department reiterated its position, stating: “Lawmakers have been invited to view the unredacted files for themselves at the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General has always made herself available to speak directly with members of Congress.”
Despite the formal subpoena for a deposition in April, a more immediate meeting between the DOJ and the committee is already scheduled. Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche are slated to provide committee members with a private briefing on Wednesday, March 18. This session was organized independently of the subpoena. The House Oversight Committee has previously conducted sworn interviews with individuals linked to Epstein, including President Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton, as well as retail billionaire Leslie Wexner. All individuals questioned have consistently denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s illegal activities.
