Pam Bondi at the senate hearing (AP)
US attorney general Pam Bondi came under fire Tuesday during a Senate judiciary committee oversight hearing, adopting a combative stance with Democratic senators and refusing to engage with questions about the Jeffrey Epstein files. She accused Senator Richard Blumenthal of lying about his military service while deflecting probes into her former lobbying firm and other controversies.Blumenthal pressed Bondi about lobbying connections, asking, “In the merger … involving American Express GBT … I understand that Brian Ballard, longtime backer and head of the law firm where you worked, was instrumental in lobbying the Justice Department to drop that lawsuit. … What conversations did you have with Mr. Ballard?” as quoted by The Hill.In response, Bondi pivoted angrily, saying: “Senator Blumenthal, I cannot believe that you would accuse me of impropriety when you lied about your military service. You lied, you admitted you lied to be elected a US senator,” she said. “How dare you? I’m a career prosecutor. Don’t you ever challenge my integrity … Do not question my ability to be fair and impartial as attorney general, and anything [about] my former firm Ballard Partners.” Blumenthal had acknowledged in 2010 that he “misspoke” about serving in Vietnam.When the topic shifted to Epstein, Bondi repeatedly stalled and refused to engage. Senator Dick Durbin asked who ordered a justice department statement that Trump’s name was in the Epstein files. Bondi replied, “I’m not going to discuss anything about that with you.” Durbin warned: “Eventually you’re going to have to answer for your conduct in this, you won’t do it today, but eventually you will,” according to Miami Herald.Bondi remained defiant, citing partisan claims and repeatedly attacking her interrogators rather than addressing substantive questions.Throughout the hearing, Bondi defended the justice department’s approach under the Trump administration, accusing Democrats of politicizing the department. She also shifted attention toward her critics, questioning why they had not previously released Epstein files when Democrats had held majorities. She specifically invoked Reid Hoffman, a tech billionaire linked in past fundraising to Epstein, asking Democrats why they failed to disclose associated flight logs or donor ties.When Democratic senator Sheldon Whitehouse raised a question about reports alleging that Epstein possessed photos of Donald Trump with “half-naked young women,” and whether those images were part of the justice department’s Epstein files, Bondi deflected by targeting the senator instead.“Senator Whitehouse, instead of making baseless insinuations about President Trump, perhaps you should address your own political ties – especially your connections to one of Epstein’s known associates,” Bondi shot back.She employed a similar tactic when Senator Dick Durbin questioned her about a July memo from the Justice Department stating that no new information had been uncovered in the Epstein files. “I’m not going to engage on that topic,” Bondi said, sidestepping the question.She then cited a claim popular among Trump-aligned supporters, suggesting Democrats had resisted calls to release the Epstein flight logs when they held a congressional majority because individuals linked to their party might be implicated.The attorney general was in fight mode during the hearing, pushing back against questions related to national guard deployments in US cities and allegations of politicising the justice department.The hearing’s tensions underline the growing scrutiny over Bondi’s handling of sensitive federal investigations and her role as chief law enforcement officer under Trump.
