Late Wednesday, a group of House Democrats abruptly left a closed-door briefing with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as lawmakers questioned the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The walkout came a day after House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena compelling Bondi to testify next month about her role related to Epstein.
Bondi and Blanche met with Oversight Committee members on Capitol Hill, but less than an hour into the session Democrats walked out. Top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), told reporters he was frustrated that Bondi did not agree to honor the subpoena, was not placed under oath and declined to deliver an opening statement. Garcia characterized the session as a staged encounter that failed to provide the transparency Democrats say is needed.
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) described the meeting as an ineffective, private proceeding that prevented public oversight — noting there were no cameras or live feeds for the closed-door appearance. Republican leadership pushed back. Comer accused Democrats of planning the exit as a political stunt, saying members spent the early portion of the briefing complaining instead of asking substantive questions.
Tempers flared during the meeting. Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) said she asked Comer whether he would enforce the subpoena and pursue contempt if Bondi did not appear for the scheduled testimony; she said Comer dismissed her concern and used a derogatory term. Comer confirmed the exchange but framed it as criticism of the meeting’s format and later posted his own account on social media.
Afterward, Bondi told reporters she would “follow the law,” a statement Garcia and other Democrats found insufficient. Bondi also criticized the walkout, noting that members had publicly claimed to have numerous questions despite leaving the briefing early.
News outlets contacted the Justice Department for comment.
The clash underscores how contentious scrutiny of the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein has become. Federal authorities faced long-standing criticism for their investigations into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell; Epstein was indicted in 2019 on sex trafficking charges and died in custody that year. In recent months, the Justice Department has released millions of pages of documents about Epstein and related probes after Congress enacted a law requiring publication of those files.
Lawmakers from both parties have faulted the department over how it released the records, arguing some material was withheld improperly or over-redacted. Survivors and advocates have also raised concerns that sensitive personal information was exposed. The Justice Department has defended its process, saying hundreds of lawyers reviewed records to identify survivors’ names and that it removed documents when redaction errors were found.
Democrats accused Bondi of participating in a cover-up, saying they want her testimony under oath because they do not trust her assertions. Republicans, including Comer, said they remain committed to a serious, bipartisan probe and expressed a willingness to coordinate with the Justice Department to get answers about what was released and why certain material was handled the way it was.