Pam Bondi admits to ‘redaction errors’ in Epstein files release during House testimony

The former attorney general Pam Bondi is testifying before the US House oversight and reform committee this morning to answer questions about the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and its release of the Epstein files under her leadership.

In Bondi’s prepared opening statement, obtained by the Guardian, she defended the department’s record under her leadership, saying: “We demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to transparency in the department’s search for, collection and review of the Epstein files.”

“This was an enormously complicated and labor-intensive process,” Bondi said in her remarks. “To the best of my knowledge, the department produced everything required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”

“As the head of a large department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort or conduct that document review myself,” she added, saying that she “delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche”.

“The team of professionals who reviewed all of the materials that we collected assured me the only materials that were withheld were either nonresponsive, privileged or duplicative,” she said.

During her opening statement, Bondi admitted that “there were redaction errors” but said that “since day one of this process, this department has been committed to accountability and transparency”.

“Our stance has always been that the department stands ready to review any potential evidence of criminal activity related to Epstein and his associates and would pursue appropriate investigative or prosecutorial action wherever the facts and law warrant.

“The bottom line is: justice and transparency in this matter have been delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration,” she concluded.

The committee announced in late April that Bondi would be appearing before the panel as part of its investigation into Epstein, shortly after Democrats on the committee filed a civil contempt resolution against her.

Bondi’s appearance comes as the justice department has faced criticism in recent months over its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, after the department failed to meet the act’s 19 December deadline to release the relevant files, instead releasing what it claimed were the full files on 31 January.

“What documents remain?” the representative James Comer, the Republican who chairs the committee, said on Friday ahead of Bondi’s deposition. “Why haven’t they been turned over? We’re going to try to determine whether or not there can be more documents legally turned over.”

The representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, said on Friday morning that “we continue to be incredibly disappointed of the decision to not have this interview videotaped and then released to the American public”.

“We obviously have a lot of questions” he added. “As it relates to why only 50% of the files have been released, why many of the survivors they were literally put in danger by the way files were released, that private information should never have been released, and of course, why this continues to be some type of cover-up.”

Survivors of Epstein’s abuse have also raised concerns that sensitive personal information was improperly disclosed in the files, while several lawmakers have also criticized some of the redactions in the documents. The department has maintained that it acted in accordance with the law.

Ahead of Bondi’s deposition, several survivors held a brief news conference in which they said that they were hoping for “truth and transparency” and to get “some answers” from Bondi’s testimony on Friday.

“We hope that there is no deflection,” said Danielle Bensky, one of the survivors. She added: “Survivors were outed, there were Jane Doe’s in these files who were mentioned over 500 times, that is so unacceptable, nude photos”.

Bondi was formally subpoenaed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers on the committee in March, while she was still serving as attorney general. In that subpoena letter, Comer, wrote that there were “questions regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act”.

However, after Donald Trump removed Bondi from her role, the committee said it was informed by the justice department that Bondi would not be appearing for the scheduled deposition, arguing that “the committee issued the subpoena to Ms Bondi in her official capacity as attorney general” and Bondi “no longer holds that office” and therefore “the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear”.

Bondi did not appear for her requested deposition date, and in late April, Democrats on the committee filed a civil contempt resolution against her. Shortly afterward, the committee announced that Bondi would appear before the panel on 29 May. Her interview will be transcribed and the transcript will be released at a later date.

In a statement to the Guardian this week, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said that the assistant attorney general, Harmeet Dhillon, and other Department of Justice personnel would attend Bondi’s transcribed interview “to assist the committee in understanding the department’s role in implementing and complying with the Epstein Files Transparency Act during her tenure”.

“Because former attorney general Bondi oversaw the department at the time the act was enacted and carried out, [the justice department’s] presence is solely to ensure accurate representation of department processes, facilitate any necessary clarifications and support a complete factual record for the committee,” the spokesperson said. “As with any congressional engagement involving past department actions, [the justice department] routinely provides staff with relevant institutional knowledge to support transparency, accuracy and cooperation with oversight responsibilities.”

In mid-March, Bondi appeared for a closed-door briefing with the panel, during which Democrats stormed out, accusing her of refusing to commit to complying with a subpoena for her sworn testimony in front of the committee.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that Trump had recently appointed Bondi to an advisory committee focused on AI policy. It was also reported this week that Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after leaving the justice department. She told CNN that she was undergoing treatment, and was still recovering.

The Guardian wp:paragraph