US attorney general Pam Bondi launched a series of personal attacks against Democratic lawmakers during a House judiciary committee hearing on Wednesday, amid a heated debate over the justice department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Democratic representatives pressed Bondi on the department’s failure to fully comply with a law mandating the complete release of Epstein-related files, and criticised the inclusion of survivors’ names and unexplained redactions. Bondi refused to apologise to Epstein victims present in the room, calling Representative Pramila Jayapal’s request ‘theatrics’ and saying she would not ‘get in the gutter’.
In an exchange with Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the committee, Bondi erupted: ‘You’re a washed-up loser lawyer. You’re not even a lawyer.’ She also clashed with Ted Lieu, who asked whether President Donald Trump had attended parties with underage girls. Bondi insisted there was no evidence Trump committed a crime, prompting Lieu to suggest she had committed perjury. Bondi yelled back: ‘Don’t you ever accuse me of committing a crime.’
Bondi deflected blame for the decade-spanning Epstein scandal onto previous administrations, telling Republican Representative Thomas Massie that the cover-up began under George W Bush and Barack Obama. She also repeatedly praised Trump, calling him ‘the greatest president in American history’, and accused Democrats of trying to distract from his achievements.
The justice department has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of the documents, which have revealed closer-than-known ties between Epstein and several Trump associates, including commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, Steve Bannon and Elon Musk. None have been charged with wrongdoing related to Epstein.
