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Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is no longer expected to testify in a congressional deposition tied to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, following her removal from office.
The U.S. Department of Justice informed the House Oversight Committee that Bondi will not appear for her scheduled April 14 testimony because she was subpoenaed in her official role, which she no longer holds.
According to a letter from Assistant Attorney General Patrick D. Davis, Bondi "was subpoenaed in her official capacity as Attorney General, rather than her personal capacity." The letter added, "Ms. Bondi no longer holds that office. As a result... the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on April 14," and requested confirmation that the subpoena be withdrawn.
The committee, however, has not dropped the matter. A spokesperson said it "will contact Pam Bondi's personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition," signaling that efforts to secure her testimony are ongoing.
Bondi had been subpoenaed last month after a bipartisan vote led in part by Nancy Mace. Lawmakers have argued that her testimony is critical to understanding the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files.
Mace has maintained that the subpoena still stands despite Bondi's departure from office. "Pam Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General," she said, adding, "Our motion to subpoena Pam Bondi... was for Bondi by name, not by title."
Democrats have echoed that stance. Robert Garcia warned that failure to comply could trigger legal consequences. "Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not," he said. "She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress."
Bondi's tenure had faced mounting scrutiny over how the Epstein files were handled, including concerns about delays and redactions in the public release of documents. Her removal from office by Donald Trump earlier this month followed bipartisan criticism.
She has since been replaced by her deputy, Todd Blanche, who recently said, "Nobody has any idea why the attorney general is no longer the attorney general... except for President Trump."
While the Justice Department's position complicates the immediate deposition plans, lawmakers from both parties continue to push for Bondi to testify.
