Rep. Kiley to Newsmax: Expect 'Plenty of Theatrics' at Bondi Judiciary Hearing

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., told Newsmax on Wednesday that he expects "plenty of theatrics" when Attorney General Pam Bondi appears before the House Judiciary Committee, predicting a contentious hearing as Democrats press the Justice Department over its handling of records related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Bondi is appearing before the panel as part of congressional oversight of the Justice Department's handling of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein, following the passage of legislation requiring greater disclosure of those files.

Bondi's testimony is expected to focus on the scope of the document releases, the rationale for redactions, and the department's compliance with the transparency law passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.

Kiley, a member of the committee, said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" that the hearing is likely to follow a familiar pattern of partisan confrontation rather than a fact-finding exercise.

"I would count on it," Kiley said when asked whether lawmakers should expect fireworks. "I think that a lot of them have been waiting for these hearings. And, you know, they treat the opportunity to question these high-level officials often as some kind of political theater. So I think you can expect plenty of theatrics."

Bondi is set to testify just hours after Democrats publicly accused the Trump administration of shielding powerful figures named in Epstein-related materials, claims the White House and Justice Department have rejected.

Kiley pushed back on those accusations, arguing that Congress and the administration have already taken significant steps toward transparency.

"Well, I think there's been quite a bit of clarity already," Kiley said. "I mean, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The president signed it into law."

Kiley said the Justice Department has already produced "millions of documents" under that law and has taken steps to allow congressional oversight while protecting victims.

He added that redacted records have been made available for members of Congress to review in person.

"They've also made redacted documents available for any member of Congress to come in and view to see why the redactions were there," he said.

According to Kiley, those redactions are not evidence of a cover-up but a legal and moral necessity.

"Of course, there are good reasons. In fact, requirements for redactions in order to protect victim privacy," he said.

Kiley said additional explanations are forthcoming and that Bondi's testimony should address any remaining concerns.

"The administration is preparing a report to Congress on the reason for particular redactions, and the attorney general herself will be there to answer questions today," he said. "So, you know, if there's any remaining questions, that's fine. But I think that there has been quite a bit of transparency at this point."

Beyond the Epstein issue, Kiley also weighed in on the looming deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security, warning that a shutdown would disrupt agencies critical to national security and disaster response.

"I mean, it's not ideal," Kiley said of a potential short-term funding extension. "It's probably better than having FEMA and TSA and the Coast Guard and other agencies not be funded at all."

He said any funding agreement should prioritize immigration enforcement and address policies in so-called sanctuary jurisdictions.

"There should be a deal that is possible here in order to focus and advance the mission of Immigration and Customs Enforcement," Kiley said, arguing that local policies often force ICE officers to operate in communities rather than taking custody of criminal offenders directly.

Kiley also said he is preparing legislation aimed at lowering gas prices in California and other high-tax states.

"It's called we're giving it a really creative name. It's the Gas Tax Reduction Act," he said. The proposal would cap state gas taxes at $0.50 per gallon as a condition for receiving federal highway funds.

"In California, the gas tax is 71 cents and all that money is supposed to be going towards fixing our roads," Kiley said. "But we have just about the worst roads in the country."

Kiley said the measure follows the model of other national transportation standards tied to federal funding and argued it would bring relief to drivers while forcing states to spend existing revenue more efficiently.

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