Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing a fresh round of fire from Capitol Hill after the Justice Department released another tranche of long-awaited records tied to disgraced financier **Jeffrey Epstein**—records critics say were so heavily redacted they raised more questions than answers. The backlash is coming from an unusual alliance of Democrats and Republicans, some of whom are now openly threatening contempt proceedings and daily fines if the most sensitive material remains hidden.
At the center of the storm is a claim that the real bombshells are still locked away inside unpublished FBI interview memoranda—notes from agents who spoke directly with Epstein’s victims and witnesses. Lawmakers argue those memos allegedly name powerful men who abused underage girls, visited Epstein’s private island, or helped cover up the trafficking operation. So far, none of those memos have been released.
Rep. **Ro Khanna**, a Democrat and sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, has been blunt. According to Khanna, the American people aren’t interested in bureaucratic paperwork or sanitized summaries—they want names. He says those names are in the FBI interview memos, and the DOJ has not released a single one.
Leading the pressure campaign on the Republican side is **Thomas Massie**, whose increasingly anti-Trump posture has earned him sharp criticism from the MAGA base. Massie has accused the DOJ of openly defying Congress to shield elites, claiming federal law is being ignored to protect powerful interests.
Massie says lawmakers still have options. One dramatic possibility is reading names into the Congressional Record, a move protected by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause. The tactic famously traces back to 1971, when Sen. **Mike Gravel** used it to expose the Pentagon Papers. Massie has hinted that such a step remains on the table if the DOJ continues to stall.
According to Massie, the FBI possesses documents identifying roughly 20 influential men tied to Epstein’s network. During a September hearing, he named one figure—former Barclays CEO **Jes Staley**, who later stepped down. Massie insists he does not personally hold the full list, saying the names remain with survivors and their attorneys. He has previously suggested the roster includes figures from Hollywood, international banking, politics, the music industry, and even royalty.
Khanna is now drafting a resolution that would give Bondi 30 days to comply with congressional demands. If she doesn’t, the proposal would trigger fines of $5,000 per day for contempt of Congress. Khanna claims the effort isn’t political theater but an attempt to force transparency and justice for victims who have waited years to see accountability.
Bondi, for her part, is pushing back. She has reiterated that the Department of Justice remains committed to prosecuting anyone involved in the trafficking and exploitation of Epstein’s victims. She has also urged survivors to come forward, promising that both the DOJ and FBI will act swiftly on credible information.
For conservatives, the situation highlights a familiar tension: the public’s demand to expose elite wrongdoing versus the slow, cautious instincts of federal institutions. Many on the Right are watching closely to see whether this moment delivers real transparency—or becomes yet another chapter in Washington’s long history of protecting the powerful while justice waits.
