--- title: Bondi Won’t Testify as Scheduled in House Epstein Probe description: The former Attorney General will not testify as scheduled next week in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the convicted sex offender. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-house-oversight-testimony/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-04-09T21:27:31.870Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-13T06:52:17.140Z article:section: Politics og:title: Bondi Won’t Testify as Scheduled in House Epstein Probe og:description: The former Attorney General will not testify as scheduled next week in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the convicted sex offender. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-house-oversight-testimony/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4b3ef2c802e140a1/69d80f064c83064340a38d0a/Bondi-Epstein-Probe.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Bondi-Epstein-Probe.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Bondi Won’t Testify as Scheduled in House Epstein Probe twitter:description: The former Attorney General will not testify as scheduled next week in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the convicted sex offender. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4b3ef2c802e140a1/69d80f064c83064340a38d0a/Bondi-Epstein-Probe.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Bondi Won’t Testify as Scheduled in House Epstein Probe. Lawmakers Are Threatening to Hold Her in Contempt > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Melania Trump Says Lies Linking Her to Jeffrey Epstein "Need to End" [Watch (HLS stream): Melania Trump Says Lies Linking Her to Jeffrey Epstein "Need to End"](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZZC1Zm4P.m3u8) (5:49)  _Published 2026-04-09. First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday denied ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his business associate Ghislaine Maxwell, saying the “lies” that link her to the two convicted sex offenders “must end.” “I've never been friends with Epstein,” Melania Trump said in a speech on Thursday, while acknowledging that she and Donald Trump were invited to the same parties as Epstein “from time to time.”_ by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Apr 9, 2026 9:27 PM UTC by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Apr 9, 2026 9:27 PM UTC Former Attorney General [Pam Bondi](https://time.com/7207203/pam-bondi-attorney-general-hearing-trump/) will not testify as scheduled next week in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi, who President Donald Trump [ousted](https://time.com/article/2026/04/02/pam-bondi-out-as-trump-s-attorney-general/) as the top Justice Department official last week, was subpoenaed last month by the House Oversight Committee Chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky. She was scheduled to appear before the panel for a deposition on April 14\. But on Wednesday, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis sent a letter to Comer, in which he said that “the subpoena no longer obligates” Bondi to appear before the panel because it was issued to her in her professional capacity as Attorney General, a role she no longer holds. “The Committee issued the subpoena to Ms. Bondi in her official capacity as Attorney General, rather than her personal capacity,” Davis wrote in the letter, which was obtained by TIME. “Ms. Bondi no longer holds that office. As a result, because Ms. Bondi no longer can testify in her official capacity as Attorney General, the Department’s position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on April 14.” “We kindly ask that you confirm that the subpoena is withdrawn,” Davis continued. “The Department remains committed to working cooperatively with the Committee and continues to believe that additional compulsory process is unnecessary in light of our demonstrated willingness to voluntarily assist your oversight efforts.” A spokeswoman for the House Oversight Committee said in a statement to TIME that the panel “will contact Pam Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition.” Several members of the committee rejected the Justice Department’s claim that the subpoena previously issued to Bondi no longer applies. A person familiar with the matter told TIME that a new subpoena does not need to be issued to Bondi. “Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up,” California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, [said](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-robert-garcia-statement-on-pam-bondi-refusing-to-appear-for-deposition-before-oversight-committee-defying-lawful-subpoena) in a statement on Wednesday. “Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not,” he continued. “She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress. The survivors deserve justice.” Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, also a member of the committee, [said](https://x.com/RepNancyMace/status/2041893668517228632) in a social media post on Wednesday that she and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California are urging Comer “to publicly reaffirm former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s legal obligation to appear for her deposition.” “The subpoena requires Pam Bondi to appear for a sworn deposition regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” Mace said on X**,** referencing the law—[co-authored ](https://time.com/7381741/ro-khanna-epstein-files-fallout/)by Khanna andRepublican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky—that required all government records related to Epstein’s case to be released. “Bondi’s removal as Attorney General doesn’t erase her obligation to testify and does not end Congressional oversight.” “The American people deserve to know whether Congress was misled and whether information about Jeffrey Epstein and his associates is being withheld,” she continued. “Pam Bondi has answers.” Prior to her removal by Trump last week, the former Attorney General’s handling of the so-called “Epstein files” drew widespread controversy. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was [passed](https://time.com/7334902/epstein-files-released-house-vote/) by Congress in November and quickly [signed](https://time.com/7335230/trump-signs-epstein-files-bill/) into law by Trump, required that the Justice Department release the files by Dec. 19\. But Bondi’s department didn’t make all the records public by the deadline, sparking outrage from [lawmakers on both sides of the aisle](https://time.com/7342216/epstein-files-release-doj-bondi-schumer/), voters, and [survivors](https://time.com/7342034/epstein-files-release-survivors-lawmakers-trump-doj-bondi-criticism/) of Epstein’s abuse. The Justice Department also received blowback for redacting the names of several high-profile figures who appeared to be associated with Epstein in the documents it did make public, while leaving potentially identifying information about some victims visible. Before she was ousted as Attorney General, Bondi said she would “follow the law” when asked if she would comply with the subpoena to testify before the House Oversight Committee, but she didn’t commit to the deposition on April 14\. Last week, [The New York _Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/us/politics/bondi-epstein-files-doj-trump.html)reported that Bondi and Comer had “been quietly working together to avoid the deposition,” citing people who had knowledge of those conversations. Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, another member of the Oversight panel, [said](https://x.com/RepSuhas/status/2041938273308692674) in a statement on Wednesday that the “subpoena stands, whether Pam Bondi is the Attorney General or not.” “She must answer our questions under oath about why she broke the law and continued to cover up the Epstein files,” Subramanyam said. “I also have questions about the timing of her firing and whether it was to prevent her from answering our questions. If she doesn’t appear, we should hold her in criminal contempt just like the majority did for the Clintons.” In January, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton [refused](https://time.com/7345940/bill-clinton-hillary-epstein-deposition-investigation-subpoena-house-contempt/) to testify in the panel’s Epstein inquiry, even as Republican lawmakers said that they would seek to hold the couple in contempt of Congress. The Clintons’ lawyers [called](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/13/us/politics/clinton-legal-letter-comer.html) the subpoenas “invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers.” But weeks later, after the Oversight panel [voted](https://time.com/7355906/bill-clinton-hillary-epstein-investigation-contempt-house-oversight-committee/) to recommend holding the Clintons in contempt, the couple [agreed](https://time.com/7365632/bill-clinton-hillary-subpoena-epstein-comer-house-oversight-committee-contempt/) to appear before the committee. The [two](https://time.com/7381451/hillary-clinton-epstein-files-deposition/) [testified](https://time.com/7381671/bill-clinton-epstein-files-deposition/) in February, and both said that they had no knowledge of the crimes that Epstein had committed. Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia, a member of the House Oversight Committee, [accused](https://x.com/Rep%5FWalkinshaw/status/2041928662694449492) Comer of “shielding Bondi from a bipartisan subpoena she is legally required to honor—even after being fired.” The House Oversight Committee dismissed the allegation in a post on X. “Dude, relax,” the committee [said](https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/2041980445701681367). “You were fine with the Clintons obstructing their subpoenas for seven months and voted against holding them in contempt. As we’ve stated clearly, we are following up with Pam Bondi’s personal attorney about scheduling her deposition. Go touch grass.” Maria and Annie Farmer, sisters who are both survivors of Epstein’s abuse, urged the House Oversight Committee to ensure that Bondi’s deposition “happens immediately.” “Survivors have waited nearly three decades for answers—how much longer must we wait?” they said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Department of Justice’s mishandling of the Epstein files not only betrayed the trust of survivors, but has left us with critical questions unanswered.” “Until Bondi’s deposition happens and her testimony is given under oath, we will continue asking Congress to use every lever possible to ensure justice is served,” they continued. “Any further delays only deepen survivors’ pain and weakens our confidence in the government’s willingness to hold accountable those who enabled and perpetrated Epstein’s heinous crimes.” ## Transcript Good afternoon. The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards. Humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean spirited attempts to defame my reputation. I never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time. Since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach. To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell can not be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a tribal note. I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at the New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book. Melania. The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event. Donald and I attended together at the time. I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images And statements about Epstein and me have been calculating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or a name witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents. The position's victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter. I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant, was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein's sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior. The false smears about me from mean spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop. My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation. To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such as Daily Beast, James Carville and Harper Collins, UK. Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resign from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth. I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein, with the public hearing specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress. With the power of sworn testimony, each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record. Then and only then, we will have the truth. Thank you. Mr. Secretary. To continue serving. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-house-oversight-testimony/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-house-oversight-testimony/"},"headline":"Bondi Won’t Testify as Scheduled in House Epstein Probe. 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