Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The oversight hearing comes one year into her tenure at the Justice Department, a period marked by significant departures from traditional DOJ norms and practices.
What the Left Is Saying
Critics argue that Bondi has politicized the Justice Department, abandoning decades of independence from the White House. They point to the prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both initiated shortly after President Trump publicly directed Bondi to take action against them in a social media post. DOJ veterans and legal experts have expressed concern that career prosecutors and FBI officials who worked on Capitol riot cases or Trump investigations have been fired, while prosecutions of Trump allies have been dropped. The Civil Rights Division has experienced a mass exodus of career attorneys, and the public corruption section has been significantly reduced. Democratic lawmakers are expected to press Bondi on investigations into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, Senator Adam Schiff, and former Obama-era intelligence officials James Clapper and John Brennan.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers continue to support Bondi, praising her efforts to end what they characterize as weaponization of the Justice Department against Trump and conservatives during the Biden administration. They note that Biden-era DOJ officials prosecuted prominent Democratic lawmakers and even President Biden's son, Hunter, which they say undermines claims of partisan bias. Republicans point to Bondi's focus on combating cartels, violent crime, and supporting immigration enforcement as evidence of her commitment to core law enforcement priorities. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republicans, has framed the hearing as routine oversight of the department's mission and programs. Some Republicans, however, have criticized Bondi's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, particularly the failure to meet the December 19 deadline for full release as required by law.
What the Numbers Show
The Justice Department has faced significant workforce changes under Bondi's leadership. The Civil Rights Division has seen a mass exodus of career attorneys, though specific numbers have not been publicly disclosed. Multiple U.S. Attorney's offices, including Minnesota, have experienced resignations. Two high-profile prosecutions—against James Comey and Letitia James—were both dismissed by a federal judge who ruled that the prosecutor who secured the indictments was unlawfully appointed. The Justice Department is appealing that decision. The Epstein files, which were required by law to be released by December 19, remain incomplete with heavy redactions. Bondi has admitted in a letter to federal judges that the department made mistakes in handling the files, including errors in redacting sensitive information.
The Bottom Line
Bondi's testimony will provide the first congressional forum for questions about the Justice Department's dramatic shift in priorities and practices over the past year. Democrats are expected to focus on allegations of political prosecutions and the erosion of DOJ independence, while Republicans will likely emphasize support for her efforts to refocus the department on what they see as legitimate law enforcement priorities. The Epstein files controversy, which has drawn bipartisan criticism, may prove to be the most challenging issue for Bondi to address. The hearing will test whether Bondi can defend the department's actions while maintaining support from Republican lawmakers who control the committee.