Latest news with #HouseJudiciary
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats Demand Pam Bondi and Kash Patel Testify on Epstein
Democrats want to put Attorney General Pam Bondi and other top Trump officials in the hot seat for the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bondi faced calls to resign or be fired from some MAGA loyalists after she desperately backtracked on the administration releasing more information on the late convicted sex offender. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to committee chair Jim Jordan on Tuesday requesting that he hold a hearing on the handling of the files after the Justice Department revealed in a memo that no additional information would be released. They called on Bondi along with FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to testify and be subpoenaed if necessary. 'The Trump DOJ and FBI's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein matter and President Trump's suddenly shifting positions, have not restored anyone's trust in the government but have rather raised profound new questions about their own conduct while increasing public paranoia related to the investigation,' the Democratic lawmakers wrote. 'Only a bipartisan public hearing at which Administration officials answer direct questions from elected representatives before the eyes of the American people can restore public trust on the matter.' They argue that the committee must examine whether the president himself has something to hide, if he is keeping the information from the public to protect others or have blackmail leverage on them or if members of the administration simply magnified conspiracy theories for political gains. Earlier this year, Bondi indicated more information would be released and even suggested that she had the Epstein client list waiting on her desk to be reviewed when specifically asked about it in February. However the Justice Department memo this month said there was no list, and Bondi claims she actually meant the file was awaiting her review, not an actual list. MAGA loyalists were not buying it and blasted her conduct. Far-right activist Laura Loomer called for her to resign. The botched release of the files also led to fallout with Bongino as multiple reports suggest that his time at the bureau might be limited. But Trump defended the attorney general on Tuesday when asked about it at the White House. 'The attorney general has handled that very well. She's really done a very good job, and I think that when you look at that, you'll understand it,' Trump said. House Democrats have seized on the discord in MAGA world over the case. They attempted to force the release of the Epstein files with a vote but Republicans blocked it. However, when asked about Epstein's partner Ghislaine Maxwell testifying before Congress or the Justice Department turning over files to Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled support on Tuesday and claimed that he was 'for transparency.' The speaker praised the president and his team but said 'we should put everything out there and let the people decide.' He also said Bondi needs to come forward and explain her actions. GOP Sen. Mike Lee also said he supported Maxwell testifying before Congress. In their letter requesting a hearing, Democrats wrote that holding a public hearing where Bondi, Blanche, Patel and Bongino testify would 'go a long way toward restoring some public trust in the integrity of federal law enforcement.' The Daily Beast reached out to Jordan's office for a response to the hearing request.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top House Democrats demand release of Epstein files that mention Trump
House Democrats on Tuesday demanded that the justice department release documents related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case that mentions or references Donald Trump, citing a comment by Elon Musk after he fell out with the president this year. The House judiciary committee's ranking member, Jamie Raskin, together with 15 other Democrats sent a six-page letter to the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, accusing her of withholding some Epstein files to protect the president from any damaging disclosures. They also called for the justice department to make public the second volume of former special counsel Jack Smith's report into Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents, arguing that Bondi has a track record of using the justice department to protect the president. Related: Rightwing influencers indignant over FBI claim that Jeffrey Epstein's client list doesn't exist 'Stop protecting your boss and former client, release the Smith report in full without redactions immediately, and publicly release all documents in the Epstein files that mention or reference Donald Trump,' the letter said. No evidence has emerged to suggest Trump was connected to Epstein any more than has already become public, apart from a since-deleted X post by Elon Musk as he exited the White House under a cloud of controversy and accused the justice department of trying to insulate Trump from the matter. 'Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,' Musk wrote in his post in June. The missive to Bondi came a day after the justice department and the FBI issued a memo that concluded that no secret client list of Epstein existed and reaffirmed the conclusion reached by federal investigators in 2019 that he died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell awaiting trial. The justice department also released video surveillance of the hallway outside of Epstein's cell, although the digital clock on the tape skipped from 11:58:58pm to 12:00am. Officials did not address the jump and added that no further materials would be made public. 'This administration has repeatedly claimed that President Trump is 'the most transparent and accessible president in American history'. So far, your DOJ has not only failed to live up to this promise, but you have also consistently hidden from the American public materials and information that may be damaging to President Trump,' the letter said. The release of the Epstein files has become an unlikely goal for the Trump administration after Bondi spent months hyping up the materials as being full of damaging details related to child porn and sex trafficking, creating anticipation among a core group of the president's supporters. The release of the first batch of documents related to the files, handed out to handpicked Trump-world personalities at the White House in white binders bearing the imprimatur of the justice department's seal, prompted widespread derision for containing no new information. As detailed in the judiciary committee Democrats' letter, Bondi then rapidly promised in a series of Fox News interviews that a number of teams at the department and the FBI were reviewing hundreds more pages from the Epstein files that would be made public in a second release. But the second release has also fallen flat. The justice department's Monday memo undercut Bondi's own statements and repeated conclusions reached by federal investigators years earlier. With Democrats in the minority, the request for the Epstein files or the second volume of Smith's final report into the classified documents case is almost certain to go unanswered. It was not clear whether Republicans on the committee would join the request. Republicans on the House judiciary committee have instead focused their time investigating the justice department's criminal cases against Trump. The Guardian previously reported in May that the committee interviewed former classified documents case prosecutor Jay Bratt. In that appearance, Bratt asserted his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination, which a spokesperson said he chose to do because 'this administration and its proxies have made no effort to hide their willingness to weaponize the machinery of government against those they perceive as political enemies'.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers Investigate Whether Pfizer Delayed COVID-19 Vaccine Results For Political Reasons
The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed Dr. Philip Dormitzer, a former Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) executive, in connection with an investigation into claims that the company intentionally delayed the release of clinical testing results for its COVID-19 vaccine until after the 2020 presidential election. The move signals an escalation in the panel's probe into whether political considerations influenced Pfizer's vaccine announcement timeline. Dormitzer, who later joined British drugmaker GSK Plc (NYSE:GSK), is considered a key witness in the inquiry. Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — Benzinga reached out to Pfizer for comment. According to the committee, he has not voluntarily complied with previous requests to appear or provide documents. The subpoena, first reported by CNN, reflects lawmakers' belief that Dormitzer's testimony is central to understanding internal decision-making at Pfizer during the development of the vaccine. The committee points to allegations that Dormitzer, after joining GSK, told colleagues that Pfizer had deliberately delayed disclosing the vaccine's effectiveness until after Election Day. The CNN report added that the Wall Street Journal previously reported that GSK had flagged those statements to federal prosecutors in New to House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, GSK provided information from a human resources meeting in November 2024 in which Dormitzer allegedly expressed concern about being investigated by a future Trump administration, suggesting the vaccine announcement timing was "not a coincidence." Further, Jordan's letter cites claims that Dormitzer informed colleagues that Pfizer's top R&D leadership intentionally slowed clinical testing so that it would not conclude before the election results were known. The Judiciary Committee has received some records from GSK but has not made them public. Pfizer announced the COVID-19 vaccine's effectiveness on Nov. 9, 2020, six days after Election Day. CEO Albert Bourla has previously denied political motives, telling CNN that the timing was based solely on data readiness and regulatory review, not election considerations. While the committee has not issued a subpoena to Pfizer, it seeks information directly from the company as the investigation progresses. Read Next: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? Photo: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Lawmakers Investigate Whether Pfizer Delayed COVID-19 Vaccine Results For Political Reasons originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
02-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Rep. Jordan Says House Will 'Look' at Call for Powell Investigation
Jim Jordan, republican congressman from Ohio, doubles down on his support for Trump's tax bill as GOP leaders try to solidify house republicans behind the bill. Jordan, who serves as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, also responds to a FHFA call to investigate Fed chair Jerome Powell. (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raskin: 'Trumpified' Supreme Court conservatives invite chaos with incoherent rulings
Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, talks with Jen Psaki about how the Supreme Court's conservative majority goes out of its way to appease Donald Trump, and the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling on nationwide injunctions, citing potential chaos if a blatantly unconstitutional order cannot be blocked nationally.
