'Oversight is in a bind': Bondi's move throws off GOP lawmakers in Epstein probe

Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY) has apparently considered withdrawing a subpoena issued to Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to reports on Thursday.

Bondi, who appeared in a closed-door deposition with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday, had tried to disarm concerns among bipartisan lawmakers who have subpoenaed her over the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, Semafor's Nicholas Wu reported.

But not all Republicans in the committee were convinced by Bondi's move, and neither were Democratic lawmakers convinced, though some have questioned whether to continue deposing her. Five Republicans sided with Democrats to move forward to question Bondi under oath.

"Three of the five Republicans remained unconvinced," Wu wrote. "Democrats are skeptical that the GOP will ultimately compel Bondi to talk about the Epstein files under oath, but unless Bondi can win over more Republicans, she’s still in line for the same harsh intraparty questioning under oath that brought down ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem."

Comer said that he plans to continue with the subpoena, "though he added he’d never pulled one back before and had to confer with committee lawyers," Wu wrote.

"Oversight is in a bind here," Wu added. "There’s no guarantee that talking with Bondi about Epstein in a closed-door setting, even a deposition, will be more productive than the normally rough-and-tumble public hearings held by the panel."

It was unclear what would happen next.

“The important thing is to get the answers. So, you know, at the moment, the subpoena is still issued, and we’ll be looking at questions, and then we’ll see where we go from there,” said Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), who was among the five Republicans who had voted to force Bondi to testify.