Rep. Mace: DOJ “Spying” on Lawmakers’ Epstein File Searches Must Be Explained
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace escalated her criticism of Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, calling on her to testify before the House Oversight Committee over the Justice Department’s tracking of lawmakers’ search activity in the unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files. The demand comes as bipartisan backlash intensifies on Capitol Hill.
The controversy erupted after images circulated from a House Judiciary Committee hearing showing Bondi holding a document labeled “Jayapal Pramila Search History,” detailing searches conducted by Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal. According to Time and ABC News, the DOJ logs search activity within its system.
Lawmakers from both parties questioned why members were not informed their activity was being tracked while reviewing sensitive records. The Justice Department said the logging is a standard safeguard to prevent the release of protected victim information.
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That explanation did little to calm concerns, particularly after Speaker Mike Johnson said the practice “is not appropriate,” according to ABC News. Critics argue the issue touches directly on separation-of-powers boundaries between Congress and the executive branch.
“This is unacceptable, and Attorney General Bondi needs to testify before the House Oversight Committee,” Mace said.
The dispute now centers on whether DOJ monitoring practices crossed constitutional lines or simply reflected internal data controls tied to handling sensitive case material.
Oversight members are expected to seek additional documentation from the department in the coming days.
The matter is likely to remain a flashpoint as Congress continues reviewing the Epstein files.
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