The Epstein files scandal continues to spiral out of control, even amid a U.S. war situation. After initiating military action against Iran over speculation that the country might attack America, President Trump may have hoped the move would serve as a diversion from the outrage caused by the Epstein files, which mention his name hundreds of times.
That strategy has not worked. Alongside the war, the fight over the release of the files continues. The Justice Department has already missed the deadline to release all the documents. A large number of files remain unreleased, and many of those that have been made public were heavily redacted, apparently to protect powerful figures, including Trump.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced severe criticism for her handling of the files and has been accused of working to shield Trump. Following her appearance before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, Rep. Melanie Stansbury slammed Bondi and the Justice Department for refusing to comply with the law.
We are putting DOJ on notice.
If you do not comply with the law, we will hold you in contempt. Period. pic.twitter.com/z85HxI8Y8w
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) March 19, 2026
Explaining the situation, Stansbury said, “I want to just start by stating a fact. The cover-up continues. Whether the cover-up is the Department of Justice, the cover-up is the attorney general, the cover-up is the president who is sitting on files and refusing to answer questions, or it is all of the associates of Jeffrey Epstein who, even after death, are refusing to answer basic questions that we know from court filings and from the DOJ’s records to be fact.”
She added, “And I think that is evidenced today in this deposition. Now, let me just start by talking about the DOJ cover-up. Last night, Pam Bondi voluntarily came to brief the committee. She stepped into the hearing room and basically did not provide any piece of information that was not otherwise asked by the committee. We believe this was an active attempt by the AG and the deputy AG to try to get out of a legally binding subpoena to appear under oath in front of the committee.”
Stansbury further added, “So, let me be clear to Pam Bondi. You are required by law to appear in front of Congress, and if you do not, we will hold you in contempt and we will pursue justice. This is not optional. Let us be clear about that.”
She also addressed the subpoena issued on Aug. 5, requiring the release of the Epstein files. However, as she pointed out, the DOJ has not complied with that subpoena. Bondi’s appearance on Wednesday proved frustrating to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, as Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, told journalists, “She refused on multiple occasions to commit to following the subpoena that Chairman [James] Comer actually just put out.”
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Garcia further added, “I asked her repeatedly that question. Other members asked her that question, and she would not commit to it. It is outrageous. It’s infuriating, and it’s continuous — this White House cover-up of the Epstein files.”
The Wednesday meeting even saw Democrats storming out. Republicans, however, have a very different opinion regarding the situation. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said, “She said she’s going to stick to the law. Whatever the law is, that’s what it is. So, I’m not the attorney, but that was a legal answer, and that’s what she’s required to do as the attorney general. It was all staged; you could tell it, because it just built up to it.”
With the two sides of the political spectrum clashing over the release of the files, Stansbury’s words come across as an ultimatum. It now remains to be seen whether this approach to dealing with Bondi and the DOJ works, and if the department ever releases all the unredacted Epstein files.
