Khanna and Massie Weigh Contempt Against Bondi Over Epstein Files

Two lawmakers who forced the release of the Justice Department’s Epstein files said on Sunday that they are building support to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in inherent contempt, after the department disclosed only part of its records by a Friday deadline, CBS News and NBC News reported.

Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, led the effort behind the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed last month and which required the release of all unclassified files by Dec. 19. The department began releasing thousands of files and photos on Friday. Appearing together on “Face the Nation,” Massie said the department is “flouting the spirit and the letter of the law” and that “the quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi.” Khanna called the release a “slap in the face of survivors” and said the problem is “selective concealment,” not the timeline, CBS News reported.

Khanna said the pair are “building a bipartisan coalition” for a measure that “would fine Pam Bondi for every day that she’s not releasing these documents,” and that inherent contempt needs only the House, according to NBC News. He had said on Friday that Congress is talking about possible impeachment.

Democrats did not all agree. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that calls for impeachment are “premature” and that he would rather use tools such as appropriations bills, pointing to a provision in defense funding legislation that could limit Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget if the Pentagon does not release video of certain boat strikes.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who also appeared on “Meet the Press,” said the full files would be released but that “hundreds of lawyers” are still reviewing each document to redact information about victims, which he said the law requires. CBS News reported that Blanche said releases would continue over the next couple of weeks. The department has defended its redactions as required by law, CBS News said, and CBS News found that at least 550 pages in the first release were entirely redacted.

The fight comes after months of pressure from survivors and lawmakers that intensified after the Justice Department said in a July internal review that it found no “client list,” CBS News reported. Massie said he would not be satisfied “until the survivors are satisfied.” Khanna said survivors want “key documents” about the “rich and powerful men” connected to Epstein.

Neither report said a vote on the contempt measure has been scheduled.