Pam Bondi is not showing up for a scheduled deposition on Capitol Hill, with her team citing her recent departure from the Attorney General's office as the reason she cannot comply with the House Oversight Committee's subpoena.
The move comes as lawmakers sought to question the former top justice official about matters connected to Jeffrey Epstein. According to the committee, Bondi's position that she no longer holds the post disqualifies her from being compelled to testify.
Sources indicated Bondi had already been working behind the scenes to sidestep the testimony before her ouster, signaling the effort to avoid Capitol Hill was not a sudden tactical shift but part of a broader strategy.
The situation highlights a potential legal gray area: whether a former cabinet official can be required to appear for questioning about actions taken during her tenure. The House Oversight Committee's assertion that her departure from office negates the subpoena's authority is being used to justify the nonappearance, though such claims in similar circumstances have faced legal challenges.
Bondi served as Attorney General under the previous administration before being dismissed this year. Her replacement has not faced comparable scheduling demands regarding the same matter.
The deposition was expected to address Epstein-related issues that lawmakers have sought to examine through multiple witnesses. The former attorney general's absence leaves a gap in the committee's investigation and may prompt further procedural wrangling over whether such testimony can be demanded from former officials after they leave office.
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