- Pam Bondi defended the DOJ's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files in House testimony.
- Lawmakers criticized excessive redactions and withholding of Epstein files by the DOJ.
- Epstein's files have sparked scrutiny of Trump's past ties and the DOJ's transparency.
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday defended the Justice Department's handling of files involving the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before a House of Representatives panel, saying the department painstakingly reviewed reams of documents on a compressed timeline.
Bondi's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee comes as lawmakers, including some Republicans, have expressed frustration with the amount of Epstein material the department has redacted and withheld despite a federal law requiring the release of nearly all files.
The Justice Department released what it called a final tranche of more than 3 million pages of documents late last month, drawing renewed attention to wealthy and powerful individuals who maintained ties with Epstein even after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
"I have spent my entire career fighting for victims, and I will continue to do so," Bondi said in her opening statement.
Redactions go beyond allowed exemptions: lawmakers
Lawmakers have complained that redactions in the files appear to go beyond the limited exemptions allowed for in a law Congress passed nearly unanimously in November. The department has also declined to publish a large volume of material, citing legal privileges.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the committee, introduced several of Epstein's victims who attended the hearing, and accused Bondi of attempting to spare Epstein's associates from "embarrassment and disgrace."
"As attorney general, you're siding with the perpetrators and you're ignoring the victims," Raskin said.
The Epstein files have dogged Bondi throughout her tenure as President Donald Trump's attorney general. The Justice Department's decision last summer to initially not release further material sparked a furious reaction from some of Trump's online supporters. It drew new scrutiny to Trump's past friendship with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The Justice Department has said it has been transparent in its review of documents, and redactions have been necessary to protect Epstein's victims, though some victims' names were made public as part of the release.
Bondi's appearance before the Republican-controlled panel comes the day after a federal grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video they made urging the military not to comply with unlawful orders.
The department's tradition of independence in criminal investigations has eroded as it has pursued investigations into Trump's political adversaries and aligned with his grievances. It unsuccessfully sought to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, two officials who led investigations into Trump.
The DOJ is appealing a judge's decision throwing out both cases.
FBI agents seized 2020 election ballots in Georgia last month as investigators pursued Trump's false claims of widespread voter fraud.
Bondi is also likely to face questions about the Justice Department's involvement in Trump's immigration crackdown in Minnesota. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis has come under immense strain as the DOJ defends scores of immigration cases and prosecutes people accused of interfering with federal agents.
The Justice Department has sidelined its civil rights unit as it declined to investigate the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent and opened a limited investigation into the fatal shooting of another demonstrator, Alex Pretti.
