Bondi won't appear for April 14 deposition in House panel's Epstein probe

Washington — Former Attorney General Pam Bondi volition not look earlier the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee adjacent week to reply questions astir the Justice Department's handling of the probe into convicted enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein, the sheet said Wednesday.

"The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi volition not look connected April 14 for a deposition since she is nary longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed successful her capableness arsenic Attorney General," a spokeswoman for the Oversight Committee said. "The Committee volition interaction Pam Bondi's idiosyncratic counsel to sermon adjacent steps regarding scheduling her deposition."

The subpoena, issued by Oversight Committee president James Comer past month, required Bondi to look for a closed-door deposition connected Tuesday. The afloat Oversight sheet had approved a question connected March 4 to subpoena Bondi, who was past serving arsenic lawyer general. Five Republicans voted with each Democrats successful enactment of the move.

As lawyer general, Bondi oversaw the Justice Department's reappraisal and merchandise of files related to the national probe into Epstein. The worldly was made nationalist aft Congress approved a measure, called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required its disclosure by Dec. 19.

The Justice Department yet released astir 3 cardinal pages of documents related to Epstein retired of much than 6 cardinal pages. Top section officials said astir fractional of the worldly was withheld for assorted reasons, including due to the fact that immoderate of the records contained survivors' idiosyncratic accusation oregon risked jeopardizing an progressive national investigation.

Bondi was ousted from her post as lawyer wide past week. 

After Mr. Trump replaced her, Bondi initially said she would enactment connected the occupation for a period to assistance her deputy, Todd Blanche, with the modulation to acting lawyer general. But Blanche held a property conference connected Tuesday arsenic the acting caput of the Justice Department, and the section has referred to him arsenic such, an denotation that helium has officially taken over.

Patrick Maguire contributed to this report.