Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for a scheduled House Oversight Committee deposition in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The Justice Department stated that the subpoena no longer applies because she was ordered to testify in her official capacity and is no longer in office.
This naturally leads to questions about the timing of her dismissal. Per the Associated Press, the deposition was set for April 14 as part of the committee’s bipartisan investigation into how the Justice Department handled Epstein-related files. Bondi received a subpoena while she was AG, but the department now claims that, since she has left that position, she is not required to appear in response to it.
House lawmakers, however, are not giving up on getting her to testify, as the committee has not withdrawn the subpoena and plans to reach out to Bondi’s personal lawyer to discuss rescheduling her testimony.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee’s leading Democrat, and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, a Republican member of the committee, both stated that Bondi should still testify.
For those keeping track, Pam Bondi is about to be out of compliance with not one but two lawful subpoenas if she fails to show up for a sworn deposition next week.
Even after being fired, she’s still legally obligated to show up. So we’ll see her soon. pic.twitter.com/YQVMiwdHsE
— Rep. Summer Lee (@RepSummerLee) April 6, 2026
Bondi’s leadership over the Epstein Files has drawn heavy criticism from survivors, the public, and both aisles of the political left and right. Congress has been looking into whether the Justice Department followed a law requiring the release of records related to Epstein amid claims that the former AG attempted to hide key information and spy on lawmakers.
Bondi was removed from office by President Donald Trump last week, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has since taken over as acting attorney general. In public comments this week, Blanche said only Trump knows the reason for Bondi’s replacement.
Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press state that Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files had become a source of frustration for Trump during her time in office.
The Oversight Committee is interested in Bondi due to delays, redactions, and other issues related to the release of Epstein-related materials. Lawmakers will argue that her departure from office does not end the investigation into how the department managed disclosures or whether the public and victims’ families received complete information.
Pam Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General. Our motion to subpoena Pam Bondi, which was passed by the Oversight Committee, was for Bondi by name, not by title. She will still have to appear before the Oversight…
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 8, 2026
The Justice Department is selling the argument that Bondi was subpoenaed as attorney general, not as a private citizen, and that the requirement for her to appear ended when she left her position. This perspective has led to a direct conflict with House investigators, who have indicated they still want sworn testimony from Bondi herself.
It’s also worth noting that Bondi’s next role will be in the private sector, unlike former HSS Kristi Noem, who was moved to a different government role.
Garcia mentioned this week that contempt proceedings could happen if Bondi refuses to cooperate. Mace has also advocated for Bondi’s appearance, showing the unusual bipartisan pressure surrounding the Epstein issue. Committee Chairman James Comer has not closed the inquiry and continues to pursue testimony in other contentious investigations this year.
For now, Bondi is off the schedule for next week’s deposition, but the committee’s investigation is still advancing. It is yet to be seen if lawmakers can compel her appearance again, which may depend on whether they issue a new subpoena directed at Bondi in her personal capacity instead of the office she no longer holds. That next step has not yet been publicly announced.
