Overview
- Pressed on whether she will sit for a sworn deposition on the Epstein files, Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly said she would "follow the law" without making a direct commitment.
- Democrats exited the closed-door session they called a "fake hearing," arguing Bondi offered no assurances, while Republicans labeled the walkout a premeditated stunt.
- Oversight Chair James Comer said he will move forward with the subpoena schedule, stated he personally sees no need for a deposition, and declined to commit to pursuing criminal contempt.
- Tensions flared when Comer told Representative Summer Lee she was "bitching," an exchange both later acknowledged and that Democrats cited in their decision to leave.
- The clash follows months of disputes over DOJ redactions, missing materials and file handling under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, as the department points to briefings and in-person access to unredacted records.