US Lawmakers Threaten Legal Action Against Attorney General Pam Bondi Over Unreleased Epstein Files

US lawmakers have threatened legal action against Attorney General Pam Bondi after the Department of Justice released only a partial set of documents linked to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, despite a statutory deadline.

Republican congressman Thomas Massie and Democratic representative Ro Khanna, co-sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, say the release contained excessive redactions and omitted key material.

The law, signed in November, required the Justice Department to make public all non-protected records connected to Epstein's criminal investigations by Friday.

Speaking on CBS's Face the Nation, Massie said Congress was now considering invoking 'inherent contempt', a rarely used power that allows the House to sanction executive officials without court involvement.

Khanna confirmed the move could result in daily fines for Bondi and would not require Senate approval, arguing it could attract bipartisan support. Inherent contempt has not been successfully used since the 1930s, according to the American Bar Association, but lawmakers say frustration is growing among both legislators and survivors over what they view as incomplete transparency.

The Justice Department has pushed back strongly, insisting it is complying with the law while prioritising victim protection. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said hundreds of lawyers were reviewing documents to prevent the release of sensitive information, adding that further disclosures would follow in the coming weeks.

He dismissed the threat of contempt proceedings and defended the temporary removal of certain files, including photographs later reinstated after review. While some lawmakers, including Senator Tim Kaine, have urged caution, the standoff has intensified scrutiny of the administration's handling of the Epstein material and raised broader questions about accountability, transparency and congressional oversight.