Former Attorney General Pam Bondi has bowed out of scheduled testimony before House lawmakers investigating the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, prompting committee members to scramble for a new appearance date.
The Justice Department informed the House Oversight Committee that Bondi will not show up next week as planned. The decision left congressional investigators without answers they were seeking about federal prosecutors' actions surrounding the high-profile sex trafficking investigation.
Committee members have already begun pushing to reschedule her testimony, signaling they intend to proceed with their inquiry despite the initial postponement. Lawmakers did not publicly disclose the reason for her cancellation or indicate when she might be made available.
Bondi's absence marks a setback for the House probe into how the department managed the Epstein matter. Questions linger about prosecutorial decisions and oversight during the case, which has drawn sustained scrutiny from multiple congressional committees.
The former attorney general, who served in the role during the Trump administration, has faced previous calls to explain her department's position on various matters. Her testimony was expected to provide key insights into internal DOJ deliberations and policy positions relevant to the Epstein investigation.
The committee's next steps remain unclear, though members have signaled they will not let the postponement derail their oversight work. The rescheduling effort reflects the committee's determination to hear directly from senior Justice Department figures about the case.
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