Pam Bondi Faces Bipartisan Scrutiny Over Redactions in Epstein Files Release

During a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on February 11, 2026, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi faced intense scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Lawmakers from both parties pressed Bondi about redactions and delays in releasing millions of pages of records, including whether powerful individuals named in the material will ever face accountability. The session grew heated, with Bondi refusing to apologize for redaction errors and sharply clashing with Democrats — at one point defending the DOJ’s efforts as doing “our very best in the time frame allotted.”

A claim circulated widely on social media that Bondi said “if we prosecute everyone in the Epstein files the whole system will collapse.” However, multiple independent fact‑checks have found no credible evidence she actually made this statement; reputable searches of official transcripts, news reports, and DOJ communications have turned up no direct source for the attributed quote, which appears to be a fabrication that spread online. What is clear from public reporting is that the Justice Department has not pursued broad prosecution of individuals named in the files beyond Ghislaine Maxwell’s earlier conviction, and Bondi has not outlined a policy of systemic prosecutions that could undermine institutions.

Instead, critics of the Department’s approach — including lawmakers such as Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie — argue that excessive redactions and partial releases have shielded powerful figures from scrutiny and failed to meet the transparency standards mandated by law, fueling political and public frustration. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse and their advocates have publicly called for fuller accountability and less opaque handling of the documents. Bondi’s testimony reflects the ongoing debate over transparency, victim protection, and prosecutorial discretion in one of the most consequential releases of government investigative files in recent memory.