US Attorney General Pam Bondi faced tough questions from lawmakers on Wednesday over the handling of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a heated House Judiciary Committee hearing.
Bondi defended the Justice Department’s release of millions of documents, saying officials tried to protect victims’ identities and that any errors were immediately corrected. Several Epstein survivors attended the hearing and criticized the department for mishandling redactions.
Lawmakers, including Republicans, pressed Bondi over the removal of certain names from the files, including billionaire Les Wexner. Bondi said some questions were “theatrics” and that officials were following legal timelines for the release. FBI Director Kash Patel said there was no evidence Epstein trafficked women to Wexner.
California Democrat Ted Lieu raised the case of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose images appear in the files. Bondi suggested Lieu take the matter up with former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Lawmakers also questioned Bondi on federal immigration agents’ fatal shootings in Minneapolis. Bondi defended the federal response, saying protests had been incited by elected officials opposing law enforcement.
With inputs from BBC