Attorney General Pam Bondi to Face House Committee
Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee this Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to question her about how the Justice Department is handling old files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, some important indictments that have raised political questions, and changes happening within the department itself.
This will be Bondi’s first time speaking before the House panel since she became the head of the DOJ.
While some Republican members of the committee will likely praise Bondi for focusing the department on fighting crime in the streets, drug problems, and illegal immigration, both Democrats and some Republicans have said they will ask tough questions about how the department is working to release all the unsealed files related to the Epstein case, as required by law.
Republicans on the committee may also want to talk about the DOJ’s work to stop international drug trafficking and the opioid crisis, as well as its efforts to fight violent crime and control immigration. The previous administration made it clear that these issues were top priorities.
One notable drug case brought during Bondi’s time involves Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were charged with drug-related terrorism and firearms offenses. After being captured, they were brought to New York to await trial.
Some recent legal events that have caused controversy are also likely to come up during the hearing.
A judge decided that the way Lindsey Halligan was appointed to lead the U.S. attorney’s office in Eastern Virginia was not legal. This decision disrupted the DOJ’s indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading a judge to dismiss the cases. The DOJ is currently appealing these decisions.
