Republican firebrand Nancy Mace sparked controversy on Thursday by suggesting the Justice Department has engaged in surveillance of lawmakers, following a viral leak of Attorney General Pam Bondi's notes. The allegations emerged after eagle-eyed photographers captured Bondi with a binder during a combative House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, revealing pages that appeared to list the search histories of congressional members.
Explosive Allegations of Surveillance
At a press conference in her home state of South Carolina, Mace pointed to the photographic evidence as proof of potential misconduct. 'She had her folder open, and you saw an image of a search history, of a member of Congress in the software, in the database,' Mace declared, questioning why Bondi would possess such sensitive information. 'Why is the DOJ - why is the Attorney General - carrying around a folder of the search histories of members of Congress who only simply want the truth?'
Details of the Leaked Notes
The viral image specifically referenced Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington State, a member of the House Judiciary Committee. According to the notes labelled 'Jayapal Pramila Search History', the congresswoman had accessed emails containing disturbing phrases from the Epstein files, including:
- 'I love the torture video'
- 'your littlest girl was a little naughty'
- '3 very good young girl'
- The Epstein victim list
These searches were conducted as part of a limited review of unredacted files, which the DOJ permitted lawmakers to access on Monday following the release of over three million Epstein documents last month, with an estimated three million more still unreleased.
Political Fallout and Demands for Accountability
Mace, who serves on the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, called for Bondi to testify before Congress, stating she has 'a lot of tough questions for her.' The Oversight Committee has been actively investigating individuals mentioned in the Epstein files, adding significance to these allegations.
Bondi's Controversial Hearing Performance
During the hearing, Bondi faced criticism for her responses to questioning. Mace expressed disapproval, noting that 'When she was asked a tough question, she discussed the Dow and how high the stock market was doing,' calling it 'shameful.' Instead of addressing the Epstein matter directly, Bondi pivoted to touting Trump administration economic achievements, remarking, 'They are talking about Epstein today. This has been around since the Obama administration... The Dow is over 50,000 right now… Americans' 401(k)s and retirement savings are booming. That's what we should be talking about.'
National Reaction and Presidential Support
Bondi's Dow comment attracted widespread online mockery, extending beyond typical political circles. Despite the ridicule, she received backing from former President Donald Trump, who praised her performance in a Truth Social post. 'AG Pam Bondi, under intense fire from the Trump Deranged Radical Left Lunatics, was fantastic at yesterday's Hearing on the never-ending saga of Jeffrey Epstein,' Trump wrote on Thursday.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files and raised serious questions about privacy and oversight within the highest levels of government.
