Pam Bondi distanced herself from the handling of Jeffrey Epstein's case during a House committee hearing, stating that Todd Blanche was in charge of the controversial file release. She acknowledged redaction errors but defended the Justice Department's commitment to transparency.
Key points
Pam Bondi appeared before the House oversight committee.
Todd Blanche was in charge of the Epstein case handling.
Bondi distanced herself from the file release.
There were acknowledged redaction errors in the files.
Good morning. Appearing before the House oversight and reform committee, the former attorney general Pam Bondi told lawmakers that Todd Blanche, the man Donald Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. She also said she was “not certain of the extent” that Trump knew about the crimes of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell before they became public.
In her opening statement, Bondi defended the justice department’s handling of the records under her leadership and tried to distance herself from the release and review of the files, saying she did not “lead every aspect” of the DoJ’s effort, but that it was Blanche who oversaw it. If formally nominated by Trump to be attorney general on a permanent basis, Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate.
Why is the release of the files under scrutiny? Several lawmakers as well as survivors of Epstein’s abuse, have criticized some of the department’s actions and raised concerns over certain redactions and the disclosure of sensitive personal information in the files. Bondi acknowledged “there were redaction errors” in the release, but added: “Since day one of this process, this department has been committed to accountability and transparency.”
House passes bill to aid Ukraine as Zelenskyy calls for talks with Putin
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
In a open letter to Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured called for face-to-face talks. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock
The House passed legislation Thursday that would aid Ukraine and impose sanctions on key segments of the Russian economy, overriding objections from Republican leaders who said the bill would undermine negotiations designed to achieve a comparable but stronger result.
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Q&A
What did Pam Bondi say about Todd Blanche's role in the Epstein case?
Pam Bondi stated that Todd Blanche was 'in charge' of the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case.
Why is the release of Epstein files controversial?
The release is controversial due to criticisms over redactions and the disclosure of sensitive personal information, raising concerns among lawmakers and survivors.
What were the redaction errors acknowledged by Bondi?
Bondi acknowledged that there were redaction errors in the release of the Epstein files, which have drawn criticism.
What happens if Todd Blanche is nominated as attorney general?
If nominated by Trump, Todd Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate to become attorney general.
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