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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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Attorney General Pam Bondi could face a financial penalty every day over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to release all of its files on Jeffrey Epstein under a plan announced by Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie.
In an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Khanna and Massie, who were the architects of the bill that mandated the release the files, said they would move to hold Bondi in inherent contempt of Congress.
“We only need the House for inherent contempt and we're building a bipartisan coalition,” Khanna said. “And we’re building a bipartisan coalition. And it would fine Pam Bondi for every day that she’s not releasing these documents.”
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Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email. The DOJ has been contacted through a contact form on its website.
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Why It Matters
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday released some of its records related to Epstein, a convicted sex offender and wealthy financier known for his connections to some of the world’s most powerful people, including President Donald Trump, who had long sought to keep the files sealed. Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
It comes after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed by both chambers of Congress and signed by Trump on November 19, requiring the DOJ release its files on Epstein within 30 days with limited exceptions. But the partial release and redactions to the documents that were released has angered Democrats, who have accused the Trump administration of trying to hide information. DOJ officials acknowledged the complete files were not released, saying the department needed to finish redacting them to protect the identities of victims and minors, and that the department would continue releasing documents in the weeks ahead.
Photos of Trump and former president Bill Clinton were among the thousands of documents made public on Friday, but neither Clinton nor Trump has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and their appearance in the files is not an indication of guilt.
What To Know
On Face the Nation, Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said "the quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi."
He said he and Khanna were "talking about and drafting that right now.”
Khanna, a California Democrat, added that he believed the effort would amass bipartisan support. He said there were “rich and powerful people who either engaged in this abuse, covered it up, or were on this island. And what the American people want to know is who are these people? And instead of holding them accountable, Pam Bondi is breaking the law.”
He added: “So I believe we're going to get bipartisan support in holding her accountable. And a committee of Congress should determine whether these redactions are justified or not.”
Khanna and Massie have also said they are considering filing articles of impeachment against Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
What People Are Saying
Representative Ro Khanna said on Face the Nation: “We want the files out. So, if our sounding the alarm on what is missing is going to help them get those files out, fine. But this shouldn't be a big document dump. There's a pretty simple point, who raped these young girls, who covered it up and why are they getting away with it?”
Representative Thomas Massie said on the show the DOJ is "flouting the spirit and the letter of” the Epstein Files Transparency Act. He said: “It's very troubling, the posture that they've taken. And I won't be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that only some files were released because officials are reviewing them to “protect victims.”
He added: “So we're going through a very methodical process with hundreds of lawyers looking at every single document and making sure that victims' names and any of the information from victims is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the Transparency Act expects.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen if lawmakers hold Bondi in inherent contempt of Congress.
Meanwhile, the DOJ says more Epstein files will be released in the coming weeks.
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