AG Bondi Faces Heated Senate Grilling Over Epstein Files, DOJ Probes, and Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 7, 2025 – Attorney General Pam Bondi’s first oversight hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee turned into a marathon, contentious session on Tuesday, as Democratic senators subjected her to over five hours of intense questioning on a range of hot-button issues.
The hearing focused primarily on the release of records related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including the handling of unconfirmed photographs allegedly involving former President Donald Trump. Democrats also pressed Bondi on the Justice Department’s controversial decision to drop a bribery probe into Tom Homan, a former immigration official.
Throughout the session, Bondi repeatedly deflected requests for specific details. She declined to provide concrete information on the timeline or content of future Epstein document releases and offered no justification for terminating the investigation into Homan, instead counter-attacking by criticizing the past actions and questions of the senators.
The ongoing government shutdown also featured prominently in the discussions. Senators highlighted the severe impact on federal workers and agencies, while Bondi placed the blame for the funding impasse squarely on Democratic resistance in negotiations.
The hearing underscored the deep political divisions surrounding the Justice Department, with Bondi’s responses doing little to appease her Democratic critics. The controversies over the Epstein files, closed investigations, and the operational capacity of the DOJ during the shutdown are likely to persist.
