House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday to appear for an April 14 deposition on the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related records.
The move escalated a bipartisan dispute over whether the department complied fully with a law requiring broad public disclosure.
Comer issued the subpoena after the Oversight Committee approved a motion to require Bondi's deposition as part of its review of the department's handling of the Epstein investigation and its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In a cover letter, Comer said the committee is examining "possible mismanagement" of the federal investigation of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Epstein's death.
The Department of Justice said the subpoena was unnecessary.
A DOJ spokesperson said lawmakers had been invited to review unredacted files at the department and that Bondi had remained available for calls, meetings, and briefings with Congress.
Reuters reported that Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche were also scheduled to provide a private briefing to the committee on Wednesday.
The dispute follows months of criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over the pace and scope of the department's disclosures.
The Department of Justice said on Jan. 30 that it had published over 3 million more pages responsive to the law, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, bringing the total release to nearly 3.5 million pages.
The department said any materials not produced fell into categories such as duplicates, privileged matter, exceptions under the law, or items unrelated to the Epstein and Maxwell case files.
Lawmakers pressing for Bondi's testimony have argued that important materials remain missing or overly redacted.
The Associated Press reported that the March 4 committee vote to subpoena Bondi passed 24-19, with five Republicans joining Democrats.
Comer told Bondi that her testimony could help inform possible legislation on how the federal government combats sex trafficking and related abuses.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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