Rep. Summer Lee has accused House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of using a derogatory slur against her during a contentious closed-door session with Attorney General Pam Bondi, as tensions escalate over access to records tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
“So I just walked out of a fake deposition… where Chairman Comer called me a bitch,” Lee said in a video statement following the meeting, which she described as a “sham” proceeding.
Lee tied the confrontation to broader concerns about accountability, reiterating her demand that Bondi testify under oath regarding the handling of Epstein-related files.
“We need to hear from Pam Bondi under oath so that at least if she lies to our faces again it’s taken seriously and considered a crime,” she said.
According to Lee, the committee had already issued a bipartisan subpoena compelling Bondi to appear and provide full, unredacted documents.
However, she alleged that the attorney general has failed to comply and instead participated in what lawmakers described as an informal session not conducted under oath or on the record.
“We had already subpoenaed her because she has not been in compliance,” Lee said, accusing Bondi of withholding key information and obstructing congressional oversight.
During the meeting, Lee said she redirected her questions to Comer, asking whether he would enforce the subpoena or initiate contempt proceedings if Bondi continued to refuse. She claimed the chairman declined to answer and instead dismissed her concerns.
The Pennsylvania Democrat said the exchange underscores why she and other lawmakers are pursuing impeachment efforts against Bondi, arguing that the attorney general has shown “no intention on cooperating with Congress.”
The incident highlights deepening divisions within the House Oversight Committee, where disputes over procedure, transparency, and decorum have intensified alongside the ongoing controversy surrounding Epstein-related records.
Lee and other Democrats maintain that sworn testimony is critical to ensuring accountability, warning that unsworn statements allow officials to evade legal consequences for misleading or false claims.
