GOP Oversight chair hit with bipartisan demands to enforce Bondi deposition
Every since Attorney General Pam Bondi was fired last week, it has left the unsettled question of whether she still has to sit for the upcoming congressional deposition, where among other things she was set to be asked about the Jeffrey Epstein case files.
The GOP-led commission has stated Bondi won't attend. In a letter to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) revealed on Wednesday, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) demanded that he publicly clarify she does, in fact, still have to participate.
"We moved to subpoena Pam Bondi, and the Committee voted to approve this motion on a bipartisan basis, because the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) still has not complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act ... and because serious questions remain regarding the DOJ's non-compliance and their handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates while she was Attorney General," said the letter.
Bondi's dismissal as AG, they wrote, "does not diminish the Committee's legitimate oversight interests in seeking her sworn testimony or the need for accountability and information about files withheld from the public by the DOJ. On the contrary, it makes her sworn testimony even more important, especially with respect to actions she took as Attorney General, matters already under investigation, and decisions made under her leadership."
The handling of the Epstein files was reportedly at least one of the reasons Trump decided to remove Bondi, a longtime MAGA loyalist who oversaw a number of prosecutions of Trump's political enemies, from the Justice Department.
Bondi's abrupt reversal on the files, telling the public there was no "client list" and nothing new of note in the files after she had spent months hyping it up to Trump supporters, played a huge part in fracturing the MAGA coalition and reducing public support for the president. Since legislation was passed compelling the release of all Epstein files, Bondi also presided over the department as it slow-walked that process and blew through important legal deadlines.
"The American people deserve answers about whether Congress was misled and whether information is being withheld by the DOJ," said the letter, telling Comer, "We ask you to publicly reaffirm that Pam Bondi must appear on April 14 for a sworn deposition as ordered or face appropriate enforcement if she refuses to comply."
Trump frantically backtracks on core policy as beef prices skyrocket to record highs
President Donald Trump's administration will reportedly suspend some tariffs on beef amid record-high prices.
On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the highest tariff "on all beef-exporting nations" would be temporarily dismantled.
The Small Business Administration was also expected to increase access to loans and capital for U.S. ranchers, the report said. The effort will reportedly include reducing protections for gray and Mexican wolves under the Endangered Species Act. Regulations on electronic ear tags for livestock would also be loosened.
Beef prices in the United States have reached record highs, driven by a combination of factors including drought conditions affecting cattle ranching, supply chain disruptions, and increased feed costs. The surge in beef prices has hit American consumers hard, with ground beef and steaks commanding premium prices at grocery stores nationwide, forcing many families to reduce their meat consumption or seek alternative protein sources.
Ranchers have culled their herds in response to prolonged drought and rising operational costs, which have constrained the overall supply of beef available to markets. Industry analysts point to climate challenges, particularly severe drought conditions in major cattle-producing states such as Texas and the Southwest, as a primary driver of reduced herd sizes and elevated prices.
The combination of supply constraints and strong consumer demand has created a perfect storm, driving beef prices to levels not seen in recent memory and raising concerns about inflation and the cost of living for American households already struggling with elevated grocery bills.
