Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to apologize to survivors of Jeffrey Epstein during a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, instead turning her criticism toward Democrats and defending her handling of the long-contentious investigative files.

The four-hour session unfolded under the watchful presence of Epstein survivors seated quietly behind her in the hearing room. Their presence sharpened the focus on the Justice Department’s release of case materials, including documents that inadvertently disclosed victims’ names that were meant to be redacted.

Democrats pressed Bondi repeatedly on that failure. Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the panel’s top Democrat, accused her of siding with perpetrators and ignoring victims, warning that her approach to the Epstein matter could define her tenure unless she changed course.

Bondi did not concede error. In her opening remarks, she described herself as a career prosecutor committed to victims, and she placed responsibility for investigative shortcomings on her predecessors in the Biden administration.

When Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington urged her to address the survivors directly and apologize for the flawed document release, Bondi initially hesitated before sharply accusing Jayapal of turning the hearing into “theatrics.” Her voice rose as she defended her record and rejected the premise of wrongdoing.

The exchanges grew increasingly combative. Bondi challenged Democrats over their past impeachments of President Trump and asked whether they had apologized to him. At one point, she traded personal barbs with Raskin, calling him a “washed-up” lawyer and questioning his credentials, drawing laughter and audible reactions from lawmakers.

Republican members largely avoided direct engagement on the Epstein matter, steering their allotted time toward other Justice Department priorities such as street crime. Some ceded their questioning time to Bondi, allowing her to extend her criticisms of Democratic colleagues.

Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican chairman, intervened at moments to ask Bondi not to interrupt or shout over lawmakers, signaling an effort to keep the proceedings from unraveling further.

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has criticized the administration’s handling of the files, joined Democrats in questioning Bondi. He asked who was responsible for the mistaken disclosure of victims’ identities and for redactions related to a purported co-conspirator. Bondi responded by accusing Massie of harboring “Trump derangement syndrome” and dismissed him as a failed politician.

The hearing also touched on other controversies, including a recent unsuccessful Justice Department effort to prosecute six Democratic lawmakers over a video that angered President Trump. Yet the discussion repeatedly returned to Epstein.

In one exchange, Representative Becca Balint of Vermont pressed Bondi about whether she would scrutinize senior Trump administration officials over past associations with Epstein. Bondi replied that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had already addressed those ties. When Balint briefly referred to her as “secretary,” Bondi corrected her. Balint responded with a pointed apology that drew murmurs in the room.

Amid the clashes, there was a brief moment of bipartisan agreement. Representative Eric Swalwell of California asked Bondi to investigate threats made against him and his family. Bondi said such threats were being examined and added that no lawmaker or family member should face intimidation.

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The hearing underscored how the Epstein case, once on the political fringes, now sits squarely at the center of partisan conflict. For Bondi, it has become a defining issue, shaping how both critics and allies assess her leadership of the Justice Department.