Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday for her defensive and faltering responses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the Jeffrey Epstein files, saying Bondi’s hesitation “spoke volumes.”
During an appearance on MSNBC with Nicolle Wallace, McCaskill drew on her experience as a former prosecutor to analyze Bondi’s body language and pauses when asked about the release of records connected to the late financier and convicted sex offender.
More: Marjorie Taylor Greene Challenges White House on Epstein Files: ‘I Do Not Work for You’
“When I was a courtroom prosecutor and I had a witness on the stand, and they looked the way she looked when he asked that question, what was flashing through her brain was her telling the FBI agents and Kash Patel to go through those records and flag Donald Trump’s name,” McCaskill said.
She continued, “That was what that was. And that was the pause you saw. And you know what? Juries see that pause. And the American people see that pause. And she can come back with yelling and snark and ugly all she wants. It doesn’t change the fact that she lied about there not being a list of clients—she’s lying about that.”
Bondi, who previously served as Florida’s attorney general and has long been connected to conservative politics, refused to answer questions regarding the contents of the Epstein files or whether high-profile names were redacted or withheld.
Also Read: “One Step Closer” Congress Poised to Force Release of Trump Era Epstein Files
McCaskill accused Bondi of misleading the public, suggesting that key figures tied to Epstein could still face exposure. “There’s nothing being in that file that is important to the victims of these crimes,” she said, before adding, “And I do think they’re going to be found out.”
The former senator also referenced ongoing legal scrutiny faced by figures within the Trump administration. “By the way, you know, all the stuff they’re doing right now — I mean, they’re prosecuting Comey for lying in front of the Senate. I hope she tries that shirt on and likes how it fits,” McCaskill said, implying that Bondi could face similar accountability if she is found to have misled Congress.
The Senate hearing drew significant attention amid public demands for transparency surrounding the Epstein investigation, which continues to raise questions about how the financier maintained connections to powerful political, business, and social figures before his death in federal custody in 2019.
McCaskill’s remarks reflected a broader frustration from lawmakers and the public who believe the full truth of Epstein’s network has yet to be revealed.
As scrutiny over the sealed documents intensifies, Bondi’s combative testimony — and her now-famous pause — may become a defining moment in the ongoing debate over justice, transparency, and political accountability.