Overview
- Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with both Democrats and at least one Republican in a combative House Judiciary hearing focused on the Justice Department’s release of Epstein-related records.
- The department says it has published more than three million pages, but critics argue the law required six million and fault the rollout for missing the deadline and exposing survivors’ identities, including sensitive images.
- Members who reviewed unredacted materials said they found names of powerful figures concealed; Rep. Thomas Massie cited Leslie Wexner appearing as a redacted co-conspirator before the DOJ restored his name, which Bondi said occurred within 40 minutes.
- Bondi defended a rushed review by more than 500 attorneys, acknowledged mistakes, refused calls to directly apologize to survivors in the room, and declined to specify how many perpetrators are under investigation while indicating probes are ongoing.
- An Associated Press review of investigative records found extensive evidence of Epstein’s abuse of underage girls but scant evidence of a broader sex‑trafficking ring serving powerful men.