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House Epstein Probe: DOJ Says Pam Bondi Won’t Appear for April 14 Deposition as Committee Seeks Her Testimony
The Justice Department told the House Oversight Committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for her April 14 deposition because the subpoena was issued to her in an official capacity and she no longer holds that office, asking the committee to confirm the subpoena is withdrawn. The committee says it will now contact Bondi’s personal counsel to seek a rescheduled interview as a private citizen while members — including Republicans and Democrats pressing for enforcement or contempt — weigh next steps amid a wider Epstein probe that has lined up voluntary interviews with figures such as Bill Gates and others.
📌 Key Facts
- The Department of Justice, via a letter from Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis to House Oversight Chair James Comer, informed the committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for her April 14 subpoenaed deposition because she was subpoenaed in her official capacity and no longer holds that office, and the DOJ asked the committee to confirm the subpoena is withdrawn or no longer obligates her to appear.
- House Oversight has not withdrawn the subpoena and says it will contact Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss rescheduling her testimony as a private citizen; a committee spokeswoman (Jessica Collins) confirmed DOJ told the panel Bondi 'will not appear' on April 14 for that reason.
- Lawmakers across the aisle have reacted: Reps. Nancy Mace and Ro Khanna urged Chair Comer to publicly reaffirm Bondi’s obligation to testify (saying the subpoena was issued 'by name, not by title'), while Ranking Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia has threatened to pursue contempt of Congress if she does not comply; reporting also describes internal GOP deliberations over enforcement steps.
- Bondi was ousted as attorney general last week; she initially indicated she would stay for a one‑month transition but Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has already taken over AG duties, and DOJ’s public site still listed Bondi as AG at one point during the reporting.
- The dispute is part of the broader House Epstein probe: DOJ has released about 3 million pages of Epstein‑related files so far (out of more than 6 million pages required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act), with the department citing survivor privacy and an ongoing federal investigation for withholding the rest — lawmakers say sworn testimony from Bondi is needed to probe withheld material.
- The committee has scheduled several voluntary, transcribed interviews linked to the probe, including Ted Waitt (April 30), Howard Lutnick (May 6), corrections officer Tova Noel (May 18), Lesley Groff (June 9) and Bill Gates (June 10); Gates’ team says he welcomes the opportunity and denies witnessing or participating in Epstein’s illegal conduct, and Gates appears frequently in the DOJ files.
- Reporting provides broader context: the probe has already included depositions of figures such as Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Les Wexner, interest in Lutnick grew after he acknowledged a 2012 lunch with Epstein despite earlier statements, and some legal experts/coverage frame Bondi’s refusal as part of a wider pattern of Trump‑era resistance to congressional oversight.
📊 Relevant Data
As of April 2026, there have been no arrests in the United States stemming from the release of the Epstein files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, despite allegations against prominent figures in the documents.
Why have there been no arrests from the Epstein files? — NPR
Between 2019 and 2023, the House of Representatives approved six criminal contempt of Congress citations, but the Department of Justice prosecuted only two of them, leading to convictions.
Criminal Contempt of Congress: Frequently Asked Questions — Congressional Research Service
In 2021 data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, recent migration or relocation was a risk factor for 54% of human trafficking victims with known risk factors, and Latinx individuals constituted 14% of identified victims, compared to about 19% of the US population.
Analysis of 2021 Data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline — Polaris Project
According to a six-year analysis (2014-2019) of sex traffickers of minors in the US, 75% were African American, compared to African Americans comprising about 13% of the US population.
A Six-Year Analysis of Sex Traffickers of Minors — McCain Institute
📰 Source Timeline (9)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 08, 2026
10:20 PM
Bondi won't appear for House deposition next week in the Epstein investigation
New information:
- House Oversight Committee spokeswoman Jessica Collins says DOJ has indicated Pam Bondi will not appear for the April 14 deposition because she was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general and no longer holds that office.
- The committee will now contact Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss rescheduling an interview.
- Rep. Nancy Mace publicly argues the subpoena was issued "by name, not by title" and says Bondi "cannot escape accountability" by leaving office.
- Ranking Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia says he will push to enforce the subpoena and threatens to seek contempt of Congress charges if Bondi does not testify.
- The article notes the DOJ website still listed Bondi as attorney general on Wednesday, despite her ouster and Todd Blanche performing the AG’s duties.
10:15 PM
Bill Gates will testify in the Epstein probe; Pam Bondi testimony postponed
New information:
- Bill Gates is scheduled for a closed‑door, transcribed interview before the House Oversight Committee on June 10, according to a source familiar with the matter.
- Gates’ spokesperson says he “welcomes the opportunity” to appear and reiterates that he never witnessed or participated in Epstein’s illegal conduct.
- The article details that Gates appears “thousands of times” in the DOJ Epstein files and notes specific allegations in Epstein’s emails involving Melinda French Gates and an STI medication story.
- DOJ Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis formally told Chair James Comer that, because Pam Bondi no longer serves as attorney general, the March subpoena “no longer obligates her” to appear on April 14.
- Ranking Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia states that Bondi “must come in to testify immediately” and threatens that if she defies the subpoena, Democrats will pursue contempt charges in Congress.
- House Oversight says it will now contact Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss rescheduling her deposition, signaling a shift from compelling testimony in an official capacity to private‑citizen status.
6:35 PM
Ousted AG Bondi declines Epstein deposition, but lawmakers say subpoena still holds
New information:
- House Oversight Committee spokeswoman tells Fox that DOJ has said Pam Bondi 'will not appear' on April 14 because she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in that capacity, but the committee has not withdrawn the subpoena and will contact her personal counsel to discuss 'next steps' for scheduling.
- Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia explicitly states he will move to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress if she does not comply, calling the subpoena 'bipartisan' and asserting it applies to her whether or not she remains attorney general.
- Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Ro Khanna send a new bipartisan letter to Chair James Comer asking him to 'publicly reaffirm' Bondi’s legal obligation to testify, arguing that removal from office 'doesn’t erase her obligation' and that the subpoena was to Bondi 'by name, not by title.'
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly declines to say whether Bondi should comply, stating he will leave the issue to Chairman Comer and others and that he does not have an answer on the subpoena’s status.
5:23 PM
Bondi Won’t Appear on Capitol Hill for Scheduled Epstein Deposition
New information:
- Pam Bondi has formally informed the House that she will not appear for the scheduled April 14 deposition in the Epstein investigation.
- The New York Times details internal House GOP deliberations over how aggressively to respond, including divisions about contempt or other enforcement steps (as reported in the article).
- Additional context on how Bondi’s refusal and DOJ’s position fit into a broader pattern of Trump‑era resistance to legislative oversight, as described by legal experts quoted in the piece.
5:05 PM
Pam Bondi defies House subpoena over Epstein files
New information:
- Axios headline and framing explicitly characterize Pam Bondi’s decision as defiance of the House subpoena tied to Epstein files, reinforcing that she will not comply with the April 14 appearance.
- The article’s emphasis ties Bondi’s non‑appearance squarely to the committee’s demand for testimony specifically focused on Epstein files, sharpening the subject matter at issue.
- Social and political reaction around Bondi’s refusal is highlighted, with critics casting it as part of a broader pattern of Trump‑era stonewalling of congressional oversight in the Epstein investigation.
3:56 PM
Bondi won’t appear for April 14 deposition before House Oversight Committee, DOJ says
New information:
- DOJ Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis sent a letter to Chairman James Comer stating that Pam Bondi will not appear for her April 14 House Oversight deposition because she was subpoenaed in her official capacity as attorney general and no longer holds that office.
- The DOJ letter asks the committee to confirm that Bondi’s subpoena is withdrawn, arguing the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on the scheduled date.
- Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia has publicly threatened to pursue contempt of Congress charges against Bondi if she defies the subpoena.
- Reps. Nancy Mace and Ro Khanna jointly wrote Comer urging him to publicly reaffirm that Bondi must appear on April 14 or threaten 'appropriate enforcement' if she does not.
- MS NOW obtained and described the subpoena, which is addressed to “Pamela J. Bondi, Attorney General of the United States,” sharpening the dispute over whether it is personal or official in nature.
3:01 PM
Bondi won't appear for April 14 deposition in House panel's Epstein probe
New information:
- The Department of Justice has informed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for her April 14 subpoenaed deposition because she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in that official capacity.
- An Oversight Committee spokeswoman says the panel will now contact Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss rescheduling her deposition, signaling the committee may pursue her testimony in a different posture.
- The article reiterates that DOJ released about 3 million pages of Epstein-related files out of more than 6 million pages required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with top officials citing survivor privacy and an ongoing federal investigation as reasons for withholding the rest, context that underscores why lawmakers want Bondi under oath.
- Bondi was ousted as attorney general last week; although she initially indicated she would stay for a one-month transition to help Deputy AG Todd Blanche, Blanche has already taken over as acting attorney general, and DOJ now cites her departure in declining to produce her for the April 14 session.
April 07, 2026
7:37 PM
Bill Gates and Howard Lutnick scheduled to testify before House on Epstein
New information:
- Confirms that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is scheduled for a voluntary, transcribed House Oversight interview on May 6, 2026 as part of the Epstein investigation.
- Details four additional voluntary transcribed interviews: Ted Waitt on April 30; corrections officer Tova Noel on May 18; Lesley Groff on June 9; Bill Gates on June 10.
- Clarifies that all five witnesses are appearing voluntarily after March 3 request letters and that the committee granted anonymity to sources discussing the schedule.
- Adds context and uncertainty around the April 14 subpoenaed deposition of former Attorney General Pam Bondi following her firing by President Trump, including a committee statement that Chairman Comer will consult GOP members and DOJ on "next steps."
- Expands context on the wider probe by noting prior depositions of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Les Wexner, and growing interest in Lutnick’s testimony after he admitted to a 2012 lunch with Epstein on his island despite earlier claims he cut ties in 2005.