A House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi descended into chaos on Wednesday afternoon, ending a day of bitter partisan clashes over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein file, with Vermont Democratic Rep. Becca Balint erupting after Bondi accused her of inciting what she called an “anti-Semitic culture.”
Balint is Jewish.
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The outburst came at the end of a hearing that had already been simmering for hours, with Democrats accusing Bondi of obstruction by not directly answering his questions. Mr. Bondi has repeatedly deviated, shifted blame to the previous government, and fired back, turning what was billed as an oversight council into a political brawl full of disrespect.
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When Mr. Balint’s time expired and the ousted lawmaker turned back, Mr. Bondi took a moment to respond, then used that opportunity to launch an attack. “You did not ask Mr. Merrick Garland any questions about Epstein,” she said. Balint retorted, “The sauce is weak.”
Bondi then escalated: “And because of the current anti-Semitic culture, she voted against the resolution…”
Balint interrupted her, saying, “Oh, really? Attorney General, do you want to go there?” she said. “Are you talking about anti-Semitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust?”
The deputy then stood up and left the room.
The standoff capped a day in which Democrats named survivors who were seated behind Mr. Bondi and urged them to meet him in person. Republicans defended Bondi and accused Democrats of political theater.
From the beginning, Democrats framed the hearing as an indictment of Mr. Bondi’s leadership and priorities. Ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland opened by accusing Bondy of a “cover-up” and “betrayal of the principles of justice for all,” slamming the department’s handling of the Epstein file, including extensive redactions, a lack of engagement with survivors, and a lack of consistent clarity about who was and was not interrogated. “Americans are right to be concerned that the Justice Department is protecting the powerful and neglecting the vulnerable,” Raskin said.
The frustration boiled over during an exchange between Mr. Balint and Mr. Bondi. Bondi’s questions cut to the heart of Democrats’ demands about whether the Justice Department meaningfully vetted the powerful officials named in the newly released, unredacted Epstein files.
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Balint said the dispute is evidence of a “two-tiered justice system” where survivors are forced to wait and close relatives are kept isolated. She asked Bondi whether the department had questioned Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg about their ties to Epstein.
Surveillance of Lutnik in particular has become a flashpoint. Documents show that he maintained contact with Epstein in the years after his 2008 conviction for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution of a minor, including arranging a visit to Epstein’s private island in 2012, a timeline that appears to contradict his previous claims that they ended the relationship earlier. These revelations have led to calls for accountability.
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Mr. Lutnick said in an October interview that he had not spent time with Mr. Epstein since 2005, when the two were neighbors in New York. But on Tuesday, Lutnick admitted that in 2012, he, his wife, children and nanny traveled to the convicted sex offender’s private Caribbean island for “lunch” after his name was identified in the exposé.
Mr. Bondi refused to give a clear yes or no answer. She said Mr. Lutnick had “taken matters into his own hands,” but said she didn’t know whether Mr. Phelan had done so, and pouted when asked about Mr. Feinberg. Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jim Jordan repeatedly intervened to manage time and decorum.
Ms. Bondi has struggled to justify her role in pushing for the release of Epstein material amid widespread political pressure. Republicans criticized Democrats, citing the released documents, which Democrats say selective disclosure and widespread redactions undermined public trust and shielded powerful people.
defender A spokeswoman for Ms. Balint did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the hearing.
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