A pair of US lawmakers have threatened legal action against US Attorney General Pam Bondi after her deadline to release all government files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was met only in part. The release of the Department of Justice (DoJ) documents was highly anticipated, but in the end, only a portion of the available material was made public.
A leading campaigner on the issue, Republican congressman Thomas Massie, said he could try to bring contempt proceedings against the attorney general as a result. The DoJ insists it is complying with its legal obligations, and Bondi herself has stated she is part of 'the most transparent administration in American history'.
The phrase 'Epstein files' refers to the trove of information amassed by the US justice department during its two criminal investigations into Epstein. A law compelling the release of the full trove was signed by US President Donald Trump in November, after pressure from his supporters and members of his own Republican Party. Friday was the deadline for the release of the material.
Although some documents were released, many were redacted, and other information was withheld, which angered Massie and his allies, as well as survivors of Epstein's abuse. Trump has yet to comment on these developments. The DoJ has stated that more material will be released in the coming weeks.
On CBS's Face the Nation, Massie expressed that the justice department is 'flouting the spirit and the letter of the law', proposing immediate action through inherent contempt against Bondi. That legal action could be carried out by either the Senate or House without going through the courts—an approach not utilized in nearly a century.
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has joined Massie in discussing the drafting of contempt proceedings. He added details about a bipartisan effort involving fines against Bondi for each day documents remain unproduced. Critically, Massie noted that unlike an impeachment procedure—which requires broader congressional support—contempt action only necessitates backing from the House.
Responding to the criticism, Bondi's deputy, Todd Blanche, downplayed the threats, asserting compliance with the statute and emphasizing the quantity of documents involved. He claimed that not all documents were due simultaneously, with further releases schedule in subsequent weeks.
On Meet the Press, while discussing the potential of contempt or impeachment, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine stated that these measures would be 'premature' but acknowledged other tools available to pressure compliance. Blanche also addressed concerns involving sensitive victim information that had delayed some of the document releases.
A leading campaigner on the issue, Republican congressman Thomas Massie, said he could try to bring contempt proceedings against the attorney general as a result. The DoJ insists it is complying with its legal obligations, and Bondi herself has stated she is part of 'the most transparent administration in American history'.
The phrase 'Epstein files' refers to the trove of information amassed by the US justice department during its two criminal investigations into Epstein. A law compelling the release of the full trove was signed by US President Donald Trump in November, after pressure from his supporters and members of his own Republican Party. Friday was the deadline for the release of the material.
Although some documents were released, many were redacted, and other information was withheld, which angered Massie and his allies, as well as survivors of Epstein's abuse. Trump has yet to comment on these developments. The DoJ has stated that more material will be released in the coming weeks.
On CBS's Face the Nation, Massie expressed that the justice department is 'flouting the spirit and the letter of the law', proposing immediate action through inherent contempt against Bondi. That legal action could be carried out by either the Senate or House without going through the courts—an approach not utilized in nearly a century.
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has joined Massie in discussing the drafting of contempt proceedings. He added details about a bipartisan effort involving fines against Bondi for each day documents remain unproduced. Critically, Massie noted that unlike an impeachment procedure—which requires broader congressional support—contempt action only necessitates backing from the House.
Responding to the criticism, Bondi's deputy, Todd Blanche, downplayed the threats, asserting compliance with the statute and emphasizing the quantity of documents involved. He claimed that not all documents were due simultaneously, with further releases schedule in subsequent weeks.
On Meet the Press, while discussing the potential of contempt or impeachment, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine stated that these measures would be 'premature' but acknowledged other tools available to pressure compliance. Blanche also addressed concerns involving sensitive victim information that had delayed some of the document releases.
