Pramila Jayapal slams Bondi for refusing to apologize to Epstein survivors, vows to keep fighting

Pramila Jayapal condemned Pam Bondi as a 'small, cruel person' leading what she described as a 'lawless Department of Justice'
Pramila Jayapal asked Pam Bondi to directly address the survivors and apologize for the Department of Justice’s mishandling of Epstein files (X/ @RepJayapal, Getty Images)
Pramila Jayapal asked Pam Bondi to directly address the survivors and apologize for the Department of Justice’s mishandling of Epstein files (X/ @RepJayapal, Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal has blasted Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi after she declined to apologize to the survivors of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

During the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, February 11, Bondi was questioned by Jayapal, who also asked the former to turn towards the survivors and “apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein files and their information?”

US Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi is expected to face questions on her department’s handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump’s investigations into political foes and the handing of the two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
US Rep Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

However, the Republican party politician repeatedly refused to do so, before saying, “I’m not going to get in the gutter for her theatrics.”

Pramila Jayapal accuses Pam Bondi of traumatizing Epstein survivors

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 11: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi is expected to face questions on her department’s handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump’s investigations into political foes and the handing of the two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Now, via a video message posted on X, Jayapal has slammed Bondi as she asked, “How is an apology to survivors getting in the gutter?”

The 60-year-old congresswoman began, “Well we just had attorney general Pam Bondi in front of the House Judiciary Committee, and I was the first one to question her.”

“And asked her to actually turn to the survivors who were standing right behind her and to apologize to them for all the mistakes that her Department of Justice in not redacting the personal information of the survivors, of putting it out there for the whole world, and the trauma and the retraumatization that they felt because of that,” she stated.

Pramila Jayapal rebukes Pam Bondi for refusing 'to take any accountability'

Continuing further, Pramila Jayapal mentioned her “gutter” response before adding: “Why is that not just both a human response that you would want to give to apologize to them for the mistakes you made intentional or not intentional.”

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 6: Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) speaks during a news conference with Congressional Democrats outside of the U.S. Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. The news conference focused on the lasting effects of the government shutdown on health care costs and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. (Photo by Eric Lee/Getty Images)
Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) speaks during a news conference with Congressional Democrats outside of the U.S. Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. The news conference focused on the lasting effects of the government shutdown on health care costs and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (Eric Lee/Getty Images)

In her statement, the Democrat noted that Bondi is the head of the Department of Justice, “the department that was responsible for this. But she refused to take any accountability. She refused to even acknowledge them and several of them said to me after the hearing that it was also something that stuck with them.”

Pramila Jayapal brands Pam Bondi a 'cruel person'

Sharing one of the survivors' responses to Bondi’s actions, Jayapal revealed that she was crying and told her that she was really “hurt because it is what has happened to them over and over again. They’ve been dismissed, they’ve been unacknowledged, they’ve been able to get no justice.”

Jayapal then went on to call Bondi “the small, cruel person” who leads the “lawless Department of Justice.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi is expected to face questions on her department’s handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump’s investigations into political foes and the handing of the two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

She, however, asserted in her message that she’s not stopping her fight. “Those survivors were amazing. Really, really amazing. And I am so grateful to them for their courage. Never going to stop fighting for this,” Jayapal concluded.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Patty Murray accused Sean Duffy of self-promotion over addressing Americans’ financial strain, calling his actions 'out of touch'
5 hours ago
The results highlight the continued importance of Trump’s endorsement in shaping GOP primary outcomes
6 hours ago
Taking to X after the race was called, the California Democrat blasted what he described as attacks on Massie and argued the libertarian-minded Republican was punished for taking on powerful interests
7 hours ago
The bipartisan praise highlighted how Massie’s brand of anti-establishment politics has attracted support beyond traditional Republican circles
8 hours ago
Appearing on Hannity, Gallrein recounted a conversation he said changed the course of his campaign
8 hours ago
In a lengthy post on X after the results, Marjorie Taylor Greene hailed Thomas Massie as 'a giant among weak pathetic men'
8 hours ago
Michael Caputo said the FBI probes were ‘weaponized’ against his family as he filed $2.7M DOJ claim
8 hours ago
Speaking at his concession event in Hebron on May 19, Thomas Massie framed the loss as part of a larger purpose
9 hours ago
Thomas Massie criticized Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, saying Americans are struggling while gas and diesel prices rise
9 hours ago
Ilhan Omar faced renewed scrutiny after revising financial disclosures tied to companies co-owned by partner Tim Mynett
10 hours ago