Democrat senators demand Pam Bondi release report on Epstein files

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are pushing Attorney General Pam Bondi to provide a report on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein after the fallout from a Department of Justice memo that said Epstein killed himself, there was no evidence he was blackmailing people, and that there was no incriminating "client list" of third parties to be prosecuted.

A letter dated Tuesday from the senators stated, "We write regarding the Department of Justice and its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and records. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee, by a unanimous bipartisan vote, directed you and the Department to preserve and retain all of the Epstein files and to submit a report on the records to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. This unanimous vote reflects the urgent need to provide transparency and accountability with respect to the Epstein files. There is no reason to wait until the bill with our amendment makes its way through Congress. We call upon you to follow the bipartisan directive of the Appropriations Committee and release the Epstein files without delay.

"The case of Jeffrey Epstein is a deeply disturbing one, with horrifying sexual abuse of over 1,000 young women and girls. From the lenient plea deal he received in Florida in 2008 to the end of his case with his death in prison in 2019, survivors of his abuse have been denied the full accounting of his crimes and the justice they deserve. We must ensure that the American people can have confidence in a justice system that operates without secrecy or undue influence— especially in the handling of such a prominent case involving the sexual exploitation and trafficking of so many victims. Delivering transparency in this case is necessary to providing accountability and answers to the American people," it adds.

Last week, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies subcommittee for appropriations approved an amendment from Van Hollen that would require the DOJ to report on the Epstein files, per Punchbowl News. The bill that amendment is in has yet to become law, but the senators urged the attorney general to not wait for the bill's passage, but "provide the information and answers thirty days from today, August 16, 2025."