Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) ignited a firestorm Thursday, suggesting the Justice Department may be tracking lawmakers who reviewed the unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files after a viral image appeared to show Attorney General Pam Bondi holding printed search logs.
The controversy stems from a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, where Bondi testified about the Epstein document release and faced pointed questions from both parties.
Photographers captured Bondi with a binder open in front of her. The visible page appeared to list database search history tied to a member of Congress who had accessed the files.
Mace told reporters in South Carolina that what she saw was deeply concerning. She said Bondi was carrying documentation that looked like internal search records of lawmakers simply reviewing evidence.
“She had her folder open, and you saw an image of a search history, of a member of Congress in the software, in the database,” Mace said.
She questioned why the Attorney General would have that material in her possession.
“Why is the DOJ, why is the Attorney General, carrying around a folder of the search histories of members of Congress who only simply want the truth?” Mace asked.
The page reportedly referenced Washington Democrat Pramila Jayapal and was labeled with her name alongside the words “Search History.”
According to reports, the visible queries included phrases previously found in released Epstein emails. Among them were disturbing language such as “I love the torture video,” “your littlest girl was a little naughty,” “3 very good young girl,” and searches tied to the Epstein victim list.
The Justice Department released more than three million Epstein-related documents last month, though many were heavily redacted. Lawmakers were granted access this week to review unredacted files on DOJ-controlled computers.
Roughly three million additional documents remain unreleased, increasing pressure on the department to provide full transparency.
Mace, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, said Bondi should be brought before lawmakers to answer direct questions about the search logs and how they were obtained, per the Daily Mail.
She also criticized Bondi’s conduct during the hearing, arguing that the Attorney General avoided direct responses when pressed about transparency.
“When she was asked a tough question, she discussed the Dow and how high the stock market was doing,” Mace said. “It’s shameful.”
Bondi defended the administration’s broader record and shifted attention to economic gains under the current President.
“They are talking about Epstein today. This has been around since the Obama administration,” Bondi said. “The Dow is over 50,000 right now. Americans’ 401(k)s and retirement savings are booming. That’s what we should be talking about.”
Her remarks drew sharp reactions online, with critics arguing that economic statistics do not address concerns about how sensitive congressional review data was handled.
Despite the backlash, the current president publicly supported his Attorney General. On Truth Social, President Donald Trump praised Bondi’s performance and said she was “fantastic” during the hearing.
The central question now is whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) monitored or documented how lawmakers searched the Epstein database. If confirmed, that revelation could trigger a major confrontation between Congress and the executive branch.
Bondi has not yet issued a detailed explanation about why those records appeared in her notes. Republicans say they intend to press the issue until they receive one.
