Facing Congress Over Epstein Files, Pam Bondi Says Todd Blanche, Not Her, Was in Charge of the Review - FULL TEXT

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi walked into Congress Friday with a carefully worded defense of the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, but the most revealing line in her prepared statement was not about transparency. It was about Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Facing questions from the House Oversight Committee over the Trump administration's release of Epstein-related records, Bondi said she did not personally lead the document review that determined which materials were released, withheld, redacted or deemed exempt.

"As the head of a large Department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort or conduct that document review myself," Bondi said in her written statement. "I delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche."

The statement, made public as she walked inside Capitol Hill with a band-aid protecting her neck after her thyroid cancer diagnosis, immediately placed Blanche at the center of one of the most politically explosive questions surrounding the Epstein files: who decided what the public did, and did not, get to see?

Bondi defended the department's record, saying the Justice Department produced nearly 3 million pages of Epstein-related material, including thousands of videos and hundreds of thousands of images. She said the review was part of an "unprecedented commitment to transparency" under President Donald Trump's administration.

But her statement also acknowledged problems. Bondi conceded there were "redaction errors" in the process, while insisting the department remained committed to accountability and transparency.

Her testimony came as lawmakers continued pressing for answers about the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the release of records connected to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and whether federal authorities fully investigated Epstein's network of associates. The case has remained a political flashpoint years after Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Bondi said the Epstein investigations stretched across four administrations, dating back to the Bush administration and continuing through the Obama administration, Trump's first term and the Biden administration. She argued that federal prosecutors were only allowed to pursue investigations against Epstein and Maxwell during Trump's first presidency.

"Only under President Trump were 3 million Epstein-related documents released," Bondi said.

Still, the Blanche reference stood out because Bondi described him not merely as an adviser, but as the official who oversaw the process and assured her that withheld materials were legally justified.

According to Bondi, the review team concluded that documents withheld from release were either nonresponsive, privileged, duplicative or exempt from disclosure. She said Blanche assured her that the collected materials had been reviewed by professionals and that remaining unreleased materials could not be made public under the law.

The distinction could become central as Congress investigates whether the Justice Department mishandled the release or failed to provide the full record required by law.

Bondi also pushed back against suggestions that the department was concealing evidence of criminal activity related to Epstein or his associates. She said the Justice Department stands ready to review any credible new information and pursue further investigation or prosecution "where the facts and law warrant."

"I am deeply sorry for what any victim has been through, especially as a result of that monster," Bondi said. "If they have any information to share with law enforcement about anyone who has hurt them or abused them, the FBI is waiting to hear from them."

The former attorney general concluded by saying justice and transparency had been delivered at Trump's direction.

But for lawmakers, Bondi's statement may have opened another line of inquiry. If she was not personally in charge of the review, and Blanche was the official overseeing the process, Congress now has a clearer target for its next round of questions.

The political message was clear. Bondi defended the release. But when it came to the mechanics of what stayed hidden, she pointed to Blanche.

HERE IS THE FULL TEXT AS RELEASED TO THE MEDIA