Pam Bondi will skip a scheduled House deposition next week, the Department of Justice confirmed Wednesday, citing her removal as attorney general as the reason she cannot testify.The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee had subpoenaed Bondi to answer questions about how the Justice Department handled its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and the subsequent release of Epstein files. The deposition was set for April 14.According to a committee spokesperson, the DOJ argued that Bondi cannot be compelled to appear because she was subpoenaed specifically in her official capacity as attorney general, a position she no longer holds. The agency made the determination public through a statement shared with media outlets.The move blocks what could have been a significant line of questioning about the department's actions regarding one of the most scrutinized criminal cases in recent memory. Bondi's tenure as attorney general was notably brief, ending after the recent change in administration.It remains unclear whether the House panel intends to pursue alternative means of obtaining testimony or documents related to the matter. The committee has broad authority to investigate executive branch activities, though forcing testimony from a former official carries different legal considerations than compelling a sitting one.The Epstein case has drawn ongoing congressional interest, particularly regarding how federal investigators handled the original probe and what protocols governed the release of investigative materials following his death in custody in 2019.
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