The top Democrat on the panel threatened to pursue contempt of Congress charges against the former attorney general if she doesn’t tesify.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for her April 14 deposition in front of the House Oversight Committee as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, according to a spokeswoman for the committee.
The Department of Justice told the Republican-led committee that she would not appear on that date, as she was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general and no longer serves in that role.
President Donald Trump removed Bondi from her role as the nation’s top prosecutor last week after bipartisan heat over her department’s handling of the Epstein files.
“The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on April 14 for a deposition since she is no longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General,” Oversight Committee spokeswoman Jessica Collins said in a statement to MS NOW. “The Committee will contact Pam Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition.”
Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis made that case in a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., arguing that Bondi was subpoenaed “in her official capacity as Attorney General, rather than her personal capacity.”
“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,” he added. “We kindly ask that you confirm that the subpoena is withdrawn.”
But Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C, who forced a committee vote to subpoena Bondi, argued that her subpoena is still valid because it requested Bondi’s testimony “by name, not by title.”
“Pam Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General,” Mace’s office told MS NOW in a statement. “Our motion to subpoena Pam Bondi, which was passed by the Oversight Committee, was for Bondi by name, not by title.”
“She will still have to appear before the Oversight Committee for a sworn deposition,” the statement added. “The American people deserve answers, and we expect her to appear as soon as a new date is set.”
Democrats on the committee stand firm that Bondi is legally bound to testify, regardless of her current title. If Bondi doesn’t appear for her April 14 deposition, House Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., threatened to pursue contempt of Congress charges against Bondi.
“Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not,” Garcia wrote. “She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress.”
