Four takeaways from Pam Bondi's fiery Epstein testimony

Lawmakers accused Bondi's justice department of making improper redactions to Epstein files as she fired back.

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Her testimony before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee descended at times into a shouting match, with Bondi at one point calling a Democrat a "washed-up loser". After another heated exchange, one lawmaker stormed out.

Here are some of the key exchanges from the four-hour hearing.

The hearing followed the release by the justice department earlier this year of millions more files from its investigations into the well-connected paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Several of Epstein's victims were seated behind Bondi at the hearing, and lawmakers frequently referred to them.

In her opening statement, Bondi called Epstein a "monster" and told the victims she was sorry for the abuse they endured.

But lawmakers directed a litany of complaints at Bondi about how the justice department has handled its release of the files. Several criticised what they said was a failure to redact the names of victims as required by law.

Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said that in some cases "nude images" of survivors were released, some of whom had their identities protected "for decades".

Jayapal asked survivors in the room to stand and raise their hand if they had not been able to meet with the justice department, which led all of them to rise.

Jayapal then urged Bondi to apologise to the victims for the justice department's handling of redactions.

Bondi fired back, describing Jayapal's questioning as "theatrics" and adding: "I'm not going to get in the gutter with this woman."

The attorney general said at another point during the hearing that officials were doing their best to protect victims in the timeframe allotted by the legislation that required the files to be released. She said any names brought to them that have been released "inadvertently" have been "immediately red

Source: BBC

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