Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said Monday that some Republicans are “on board” with potentially impeaching Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to release all of its files related to the late financier and convicted *** offender Jeffrey Epstein by the congressionally mandated deadline.
Pointing to Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, as the figure who would be “leading” the effort if it advances, Khanna said in an interview on Morning Joe on MS Now that “there are a few Republicans who are on board with it.” He added, however, that impeachment would not be the first step, emphasizing that the initial push would be to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress.
Why It Matters
Democrats have repeatedly floated impeachment efforts against officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, but those moves have faced steep odds in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Any meaningful Republican participation would mark a notable shift—though it remains uncertain whether such an effort could gain traction. For now, Khanna and Massie have signaled that their first move is to pursue a contempt action against Bondi.
What to Know
Bondi and the Trump administration have drawn bipartisan criticism over how the Epstein files release has been handled. The House and Senate passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November with overwhelming bipartisan support, mandating a full release within 30 days with minimal redactions.
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The legislation required the files to be released within 30 days, with minimal redactions. But when the deadline arrived on Friday, the DOJ did not release all of the files, and many of the documents that were made public were heavily redacted. Khanna and Massie—who sponsored and helped push the bipartisan bill—criticized the DOJ repeatedly over the weekend, joined by other politicians and commentators.
Speaking to Morning Joe on Monday, Khanna argued that the situation differs from past impeachment threats because, he said, it isn’t coming solely from Democrats.
“It’s different because it’s coming from Republicans, too. If it was just me out there or [Democratic Congressman] Robert Garcia out there, it would be seen as, OK, this is just a Democratic thing. This is going to be Thomas Massie leading it,” Khanna said.
“There are a few Republicans who are on board with it. But we’re not going straight to impeachment. We’re starting with contempt,” Khanna continued. “And the idea would be that you’d get a 30-day grace period, which is already in violation of the law, 30 day grace period to get the documents out.”
In a joint appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Khanna and Massie said they would move to hold Bondi in inherent contempt of Congress, which could include a daily fine.
“We only need the House for inherent contempt, and we’re building a bipartisan coalition,” Khanna said. “And it would fine Pam Bondi for every day that she’s not releasing these documents.”
Massie said, “The quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi.”
What People Are Saying
Attorney General Pam Bondi on X on Sunday: “The Department of Justice previously stated we will bring charges against anyone involved in the trafficking and exploitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. We reaffirm this commitment, and ask any victim to please come forward with any information pertaining to any individuals who engaged in illicit activity at their expense. We have met with many victims and victims groups, and will continue to do so if more reach out. Please contact myself, DAG Blanche, or the FBI and we will investigate immediately. We believe in the equal standard of justice in this country and will ensure that Justice is served.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on X on Friday: “Today, the Department of Justice publicly released materials related to Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Additional responsive materials will be produced as our review continues, consistent with the law and with protections for victims.”
Congressman Ro Khanna in a podcast with Brian Tyler Cohen aired on Monday: “Massie and I are drafting articles of impeachment as we speak about Pam Bondi and Blanche. We’re not going to drop them right away. They’re saying they’re going to keep producing things until the end of the year, but we’re ready.”
What Happens Next
The DOJ is expected to release more files in the coming days, and the political backlash is likely to continue. It remains unclear whether Khanna and Massie can build enough support for an inherent contempt measure—and whether they ultimately decide to move forward with impeachment.
