House Oversight Committee Hearing Discusses Epstein Investigation

U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, stated on May 29, 2026, that former Attorney General Pam Bondi shifted responsibility for the handling of the Epstein investigation onto Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche during a closed-door hearing. Bondi testified about her role in the Justice Department's management of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which were released following public and congressional pressure. However, the released documents faced criticism for extensive redactions. In her opening statement, Bondi indicated that she had delegated oversight of the case to Blanche and did not personally conduct the document review. Following her testimony, Garcia noted that Bondi repeatedly attributed the investigation's issues, including the redactions and failure to protect survivors, to Blanche, who previously served as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Garcia also mentioned that he questioned Bondi about any discussions she had with President Trump regarding the case, to which she did not respond.