When Pam Bondi failed to show up for a congressional deposition about her handling of Jeffrey Epstein investigative files, it marked the latest stumble in what was supposed to be a push for accountability. Her replacement at the Department of Justice, Trump's former criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche, has since sent contradictory messages about whether a full accounting of Epstein's crimes will ever reach the public.
Bondi did not appear for her scheduled April 14 congressional hearing after the Trump Justice Department informed the House oversight committee that she would skip it. The stated reason: she was no longer attorney general and therefore could not be compelled to testify in a capacity she no longer held. Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said his office would work with Republican members and the Justice Department to determine next steps.
The maneuver infuriated Democrats. Ranking Committee Member Robert Garcia called it an evasion of a lawful subpoena and vowed to move forward with contempt proceedings. But even as the committee promised action, it also signaled a willingness to reschedule Bondi's testimony rather than enforce the original demand, creating confusion about whether lawmakers actually intend to compel her appearance.
Blanche has made matters murkier still. At a recent conference, he claimed the Justice Department would welcome further investigation into Epstein, saying he would support congressional hearings with victims. "We have said repeatedly from day one that if there's any victim that wants to come forward and talk about what they know, whether it's something that happened by Mr. Epstein, who's dead, or another individual or individuals, that's what the FBI does," he said.
Yet two weeks earlier, Blanche had downplayed concerns about how the Justice Department handled Epstein files, even though a law passed last year required the department to release all investigative documents by December 19. The deadline came and went with documents still withheld.
Spencer Kuvin, an attorney representing multiple Epstein victims, said the pattern betrays a disturbing disconnect. "These developments only underscore how fragile accountability becomes when those in power blur the lines between advocacy and obligation," he said. "If the court finds willful noncompliance, contempt isn't just appropriate. It's necessary to preserve the integrity of the process."
Ann Olivarius, a women's rights attorney, was more blunt about what she sees happening. Bondi's legal obligation to testify does not disappear because she was fired, she said. "Bondi oversaw the handling, or mishandling, of these files and was the attorney general when survivors' identifying details were exposed. She owes Congress her testimony."
Olivarius also expressed skepticism about whether Blanche represents a change in direction. "The role of AG is now akin to a courtier at a medieval court. Whatever power he wields must be to please the king," she said. "Todd Blanche has sent contradictory signals at extraordinary speed, and it is starting to feel like intentional strategic ambiguity, speaking the language of transparency while engineering its limits."
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, shared that pessimism. "Blanche doesn't look like he's going to move the needle," he said. "I think it's really a job for Congress." Rahmani suggested the House oversight committee should file a lawsuit and ask a district judge to review the withheld documents in private to determine whether the government's claim of legal exemptions is legitimate.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law last year after years of public pressure, was supposed to unlock answers for survivors and the public. Instead, nearly a year later, critical questions remain unanswered and the political will to enforce disclosure appears to be weakening even as the Justice Department issues statements affirming its commitment to the cause.
Author James Rodriguez: "What we're watching is a masterclass in talking about accountability while carefully avoiding it."
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