The Home Oversight Committee on Thursday launched the transcript of former Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi’s closed-door interview with lawmakers investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The 111-page transcription of Bondi’s Could 29 interview, which was not recorded on video, reveals the previous legal professional defending the Trump administration’s dealing with of recordsdata associated to the infamous convicted intercourse offender, whereas refusing to reply quite a few questions on any conversations she could have had with President Trump in regards to the matter.
Listed below are 5 key takeaways from the transcript:
Blanche was ‘in cost’ and did ‘a wonderful job’
“As the top of a giant division with broad duties, I didn’t lead each facet of this effort nor conduct that doc overview myself,” Bondi advised congressional investigators. “I delegated that oversight over this course of to Deputy Lawyer Normal Todd Blanche.”
Blanche, who’s now appearing legal professional normal and Trump’s decide to steer the DOJ on a everlasting foundation, was talked about by Bondi 96 occasions throughout the roughly four-hour-long listening to.
“He was in control of the method and your complete launch of the Epstein recordsdata,” the previous legal professional normal mentioned at one other level within the listening to.
Bondi famous that she was not making an attempt responsible her successor for “something” associated to the dealing with of the paperwork.
“He managed this investigation — and it was a Herculean process — with little or no error,” she mentioned. “And Todd did a wonderful job, in my view, and is doing a wonderful job as our Lawyer Normal.
“I’m not blaming something on Todd.”
Bondi realized of Maxwell’s jail switch from the information
The previous legal professional normal insisted that she had “nothing to do with” Ghislaine Maxwell being moved to a soft jail camp final yr – days after Epstein’s convicted confederate met with Blanche.
“I examine it within the newspaper, or on-line, after it occurred. I had nothing to do with that,” Bondi mentioned.
“I don’t need to speculate, however I consider it was for safety causes,” she added. “You’d should ask the Bureau of Prisons that query.”
‘Monster’ Maxwell ought to ‘die in jail’
Bondi was requested throughout the closed-door interview if Maxwell, who was convicted of recruiting minors for Epstein to sexually abuse, ought to obtain a presidential pardon.
“No. I consider she ought to die in jail,” Bondi responded.
“She was a monster, identical to Jeffrey Epstein,” the previous legal professional normal continued. “She recruited these younger girls to a lifetime of prostitution and abuse.
“And I typically suppose the ladies that do which might be simply as unhealthy, if not worse, than the boys, as a result of she participated in it.”
Bondi insists there aren’t any excellent Epstein paperwork
The DOJ has launched all responsive materials associated to Epstein, in response to the previous AG.
“To my data, they’ve all been launched,” Bondi responded when requested if the DOJ remained in possession of any paperwork that may be required to be launched pursuant to the Epstein Recordsdata Transparency Act.
She famous that “roughly 3 million” pages of paperwork have been made public by the DOJ after the division initially recognized some 6 million probably responsive paperwork.
The discrepancy had led some Democrats, like Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the rating member on the oversight panel, to cost that “50 p.c of the Epstein recordsdata” are being withheld.
Bondi defined that these 3 million different pages ended up being “duplicative or privileged or fully unrelated to Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The unredacted variations are additionally obtainable to Members of Congress, together with the duplicative materials, so — and I consider that’s nonetheless obtainable — so individuals can — so Congress can go in and see for themselves the 6 million pages versus why 3 million was launched, and far of it was duplicative or privileged or fully unrelated to Jeffrey Epstein,” she mentioned.
Bondi doesn’t dish on Trump
Bondi, who was fired from her DOJ perch in April, refused to debate any conversations she could have had with the president about Epstein or the recordsdata.
“I’m not going to debate any conversations that I’ve had with the President of the US,” she mentioned, asserting government privilege.
