Bipartisan Outrage Erupts Over Bondi's Epstein Files List
Fierce political outrage has erupted from both sides of the aisle in response to Pam Bondi's release of a list containing 305 names of celebrities and politicians mentioned in the Jeffrey Epstein files. The federal government has spent months meticulously redacting and releasing millions of documents related to the disgraced financier, with the fallout resonating from Hollywood's glamorous hills to the stately palaces of the United Kingdom.
Bondi's Letter and the Controversial List
On February 14, Pam Bondi dispatched a formal letter to Congress, declaring that the Department of Justice had now released all materials pertaining to the Epstein files, as mandated after Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law last November. Accompanying this update was a highly contentious list of 305 individuals, each mentioned at least once in the voluminous Epstein documents.
The list encompassed a wide array of notable figures, including known associates such as Ghislaine Maxwell, political heavyweights like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, acclaimed actors including Robert De Niro, and prominent businessmen such as Mark Zuckerberg. However, this compilation has ignited fury among both Republicans and Democrats, who argue it remains insufficiently comprehensive due to the extensive redactions applied to millions of emails and documents.
Defending Redactions Amidst Criticism
Bondi has staunchly defended the decision to redact portions of the files, emphasizing that under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, certain elements are legally permitted to be withheld from public view. These include protections for victims' identities, details of active investigations, and any child sexual abuse material. Jeffrey Epstein died in his prison cell in 2019, before facing trial for the horrific child sex crimes with which he was charged. Since his death, there has been persistent bipartisan pressure on the government to release the vast troves of documents related to his case.
California Representative Ro Khanna has been particularly vocal, accusing the Trump administration of "muddying the waters" by compiling what he describes as a seemingly random assortment of names in Bondi's list to Congress. Khanna highlighted the inclusion of individuals like songwriter Janis Joplin, who died when Epstein was merely 17 years old, long before his depraved activities began. He decried Bondi as a predator protector and demanded the administration "release the full files," advocating for redactions to be limited solely to survivors' names.
Khanna wrote: "The DOJ is once again purposefully muddying the waters on who was a predator and who was mentioned in an email. To have Janis Joplin, who died when Epstein was 17, in the same list as Larry Nassar, who went to prison for the sexual abuse of hundreds of young women and child pornography, with no clarification of how either was mentioned in the files is absurd. Release the full files. Stop protecting predators. Redact only the survivor's names."
Further Political Backlash and Allegations
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a political adversary of Trump, has also joined the chorus of criticism directed at Pam Bondi following the Attorney General's February 14 letter to Congress. Greene referenced her own inclusion in Bondi's extensive list of 305 high-profile individuals but expressed fury that the Department of Justice had redacted the specific file in which her name appears. The former congresswoman questioned what there is to hide if her name is on the list, yet the contents of her association remain concealed.
Greene wrote: "If you are going to put my name on your fake 'Epstein List' DOJ letter, then REDACT ALL 31 PAGES OF THIS FILE WITH MY NAME IN IT!!!!!!!!!! What is there to hide???"
Political commentator Ed Krassenstein further fueled the controversy by noting that two members of the Biden family, Ashley Biden and Hunter Biden, appear on Bondi's Epstein list, while none of the Trump children are included. Krassenstein labeled this omission a "cover-up," questioning why Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Barron Trump are absent despite being mentioned in the files.
Legal Framework and Ongoing Transparency Demands
Bondi's February 14 letter reiterated that no records were withheld or redacted based on embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including for any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which the Department of Justice is adhering to after Trump signed it into law on November 19, 2025, mandates the public release of all unclassified records related to Epstein and his convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Under this law, the only permissible redactions are those protecting victims' identities, active investigation details, and child sexual abuse material. The FBI has estimated that there are more than 1,000 Epstein victims in total. The letter clarified that the only category of records withheld were those where permitted withholdings under Section 2(c) and privileged materials were not segregable from responsive material. These privileges include deliberative-process privilege, work-product privilege, and attorney-client privilege.
Section 2(c) allows for the withholding of information that could detrimentally affect victim privacy, involve child sexual abuse material, pertain to an active investigation, contain graphic content, or impact national security. Bondi's letter was sent to Congress as part of a statutory requirement under the Act, obligating her to inform and update them within 15 days of completing the release of all files. Despite these assurances, the bipartisan outrage underscores a deep-seated demand for greater transparency and accountability in the handling of the Epstein files.
