A pair of U.S. lawmakers have threatened legal action against Attorney General Pam Bondi after the Department of Justice (DoJ) failed to release the full trove of government files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The release of the documents, highly anticipated by the public and survivors of Epstein’s abuse, fell short of expectations, with significant portions redacted or withheld.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has suggested pursuing “inherent contempt” proceedings against Bondi, a rarely used legal measure that does not require judicial intervention.
“The quickest and most expeditious way to achieve justice for the victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi,” Massie said on CBS’s Face the Nation. He added that he and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna are drafting plans to create a bipartisan effort that could fine Bondi for each day the documents remain unreleased.
In parallel, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the upper chamber, announced plans to introduce a resolution to hold the DoJ accountable for not fully complying with the law mandating the release of the files.
Schumer emphasized that the legislation, signed by President Donald Trump in November 2025, was a bipartisan effort. The Senate will consider the resolution when it reconvenes in January.
The so-called “Epstein files” comprise the vast collection of evidence amassed by the Justice Department during its two criminal investigations into Epstein.
Despite the partial release by last Friday’s deadline, lawmakers and advocates expressed outrage over the redactions and withheld materials. The DoJ has promised additional documents in the coming weeks.
Bondi and her office have defended their approach. Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the volume of work as “immense,” noting that the files total roughly a million pages, nearly all containing sensitive victim information. “If we don’t produce everything by Friday but continue releasing them in the following weeks, that is still compliance with the statute,” he said.
Blanche also clarified that certain documents released Friday were temporarily removed from the DoJ website due to concerns raised by victims, including an image featuring Trump, which was later reinstated following review.
Some Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Tim Kaine, cautioned that contempt or impeachment efforts could be “premature,” noting that other tools, such as appropriations bills, could be used to enforce compliance without escalating to more confrontational measures.
The dispute underscores the ongoing tension between Congress and the Justice Department over transparency in high-profile cases, with lawmakers pushing for full disclosure of materials tied to one of the nation’s most notorious criminal cases.
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