Pam Bondi Threatened With Daily Fines Over Epstein Files Delay
Khanna is working with Thomas Massie on an effort to compel the Justice Department to release the files.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
Yahoo News is an established national news publisher, and the article names its author. The short report includes attributed remarks from multiple public officials but offers limited detail about the Justice Department’s response.
- Source type — An established national news publisher; the source type supports a generally credible baseline.
- Author attribution — The article names Malcolm Ferguson as its author.
- Source diversity — It quotes lawmakers from both parties and reports the department's rejection of the effort, but includes little detail from the department.
The report identifies the congressional effort and attributes statements to several named officials. Its account is brief and largely critical of the department, with little explanation of the department’s reasons or a direct response from Bondi.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The report includes criticism from lawmakers in both parties and notes that the Justice Department rejected the contempt effort. It does not explain the department’s position in detail or include a direct response from Bondi.
- Counterarguments presented — The department and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche are said to have rejected the proposal, without their reasoning.
- Source diversity — Statements come from lawmakers of both parties, but the report gives no direct response from the department.
- Loaded language — The narration uses critical terms about the administration's handling of the files.
The article’s framing is critical of the Trump administration, describing the redactions as lacking transparency and the delay as dishonest. It does not provide a comparably detailed defense of the administration’s handling of the files.
- Language tone — The narration calls the redactions devoid of transparency and describes the delay as involving dishonesty.
- Framing — The story centers on lawmakers seeking to compel the administration to release more records.
- Source selection — The quoted officials favor fuller disclosure; the department's rejection is reported briefly without its rationale.
Republished
Republished from The New Republic. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
325 stories · 62–63 · updated Oct 12, 2026
This is The New Republic's own score, and this article is credited to The New Republic. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.
Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie are drafting an effort to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt and fine her over the Justice Department’s failure to release all Epstein files by the deadline. The article says the department has rejected the effort.
A bipartisan bill requiring the Justice Department to release the Epstein files passed through Congress, but the department released hundreds of thousands of heavily redacted images and documents and did not release all files by the deadline. Khanna raised concern that documents potentially implicating President Donald Trump were being selectively concealed; the article also says Trump’s name was redacted.
Massie said he and Khanna were drafting an inherent-contempt effort to obtain the documents for survivors. The Justice Department and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected the notion. Senator Rand Paul urged the administration to release all the information, warning that questions about whether the release was complete would continue to trouble it.
Community verdict
22 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 39
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SWIPE →Representative drafting an inherent-contempt effort to compel the release of the Epstein files
Representative drafting an inherent-contempt effort to compel the release of the Epstein files
Massie's version of this story ↗Attorney General targeted by the representatives' contempt effort
Bondi's version of this story ↗Deputy Attorney General whose department rejected the contempt effort
President whose name Khanna says may be implicated in documents and was redacted from the files
Senator urging the administration to release all information
Part of a bigger story
30 OUTLETSThe Justice Department released Epstein-related records in a partial, heavily redacted batch. Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie said they were preparing or considering inherent-contempt action against Attorney General Pam Bondi over the release. Left-leaning outlets frame Khanna’s push as accountability for redactions and omissions, with some questioning whether powerful people are being protected. Center outlets detail proposed congressional remedies and competing claims about legal compliance. Right-leaning outlets also stress the bipartisan push for fuller disclosure, often alongside the department’s defense.
- ARTICLES
- 39
- OUTLETS
- 30
- AVG CRED
- 63
- Cbc · Authorities were hot on the trail of Epstein's co-conspirators. Why weren't they named in the document dump?
- Daily Mail · Epstein docs bombshell exposes 10 possible coconspirators
- The Independent · Epstein survivors blast 'unacceptable' partial release of files as Congress members weigh legal options over DOJ's missed deadline
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