Do Not Let DOJ Evade the Epstein Files Law

Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act because survivors, the public, and the rule of law demanded something better than delay, selective disclosure, and political fog. Now the Department of Justice’s own inspector general is auditing whether DOJ complied with that law. That should be a flashing red warning to Congress. DOJ missed the statutory deadline to release the Epstein files. When it finally released material, survivors reportedly raised serious concerns that sensitive personal information had been exposed, while lawmakers and advocates continued to question whether other material was excessively or improperly redacted. That is the worst of both worlds: failing to protect victims while also failing to provide lawful transparency. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was subpoenaed to testify about DOJ’s handling of these files. She was Attorney General when key decisions were made. She oversaw the department during the missed deadlines, the redactions, the release process, and the aftermath. Her testimony is not optional simply because Donald Trump removed her from office. DOJ’s argument that the subpoena no longer applies because Bondi is no longer Attorney General cannot stand. If that theory is accepted, the executive branch will have discovered a simple way to defeat congressional oversight: remove, reshuffle, or reassign the official, then claim the subpoena evaporated. That would make Congress’s oversight power dependent on the president’s personnel decisions. Congress cannot apply contempt power aggressively when politically convenient witnesses are involved, then retreat when the witness is a former Attorney General from the president’s own circle. Subpoenas are not optional depending on whom the testimony might embarrass. The House Oversight Committee should enforce Bondi’s subpoena, require her testimony, and pursue contempt proceedings if she continues to refuse. Congress should also require full DOJ cooperation with the inspector general audit and, where necessary, seek judicial review of withheld documents so a judge can determine whether redactions, privilege claims, or withholding decisions are lawful. This is not about conspiracy theories or voyeurism. It is about whether DOJ obeyed a statute passed by Congress. It is about whether survivors were protected. It is about whether the public receives lawful transparency instead of selective political theater. And it is about whether a president can shield his administration from oversight by moving officials around like pieces on a board. Congress should also reject any immunity, clemency, or pardon arrangement that would allow Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker, to trade self-serving testimony for freedom while survivors are still waiting for truth and accountability. No deal should place political convenience above justice for victims. The Epstein Files Transparency Act must mean what Congress said it meant. Enforce the subpoena. Protect survivors. Support the inspector general’s audit. Challenge improper withholding in court. And make clear that no one, including a former Attorney General, is above lawful congressional oversight.