‘You Took Money From Epstein’ – Pam Bondi Confronts Sen. Dick Durbin on Live TV Over Epstein Flight Logs
In a fiery Senate Judiciary Hearing on Tuesday, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed head-on with Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin over his alleged efforts to block the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs.
The confrontation unfolded after Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who has long advocated for the release of the Epstein files, raised the issue once again. Bondi and Blackburn accused Durbin of obstructing transparency around the documents, while Durbin flatly denied any such interference—despite congressional records indicating otherwise.
When Durbin attempted to dismiss the accusation, Bondi pressed harder, questioning his motives and potential conflicts of interest.
“I find it very interesting that you refused repeated Republican requests to release the Epstein flight logs in 2023 and 2024—you fought that,” Bondi charged. “Did you take money from Reid Hoffman campaign donations?”
Hoffman, a billionaire tech entrepreneur and known Epstein associate, has donated millions to Democratic causes, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which supports Durbin as one of the party’s senior leaders.
Durbin denied receiving any direct contributions from Hoffman. But Bondi didn’t back down. “Why did you fight to not disclose the flight logs, Senator Durbin?” she fired back.
Durbin maintained that he had not resisted Blackburn’s subpoena, insisting that he merely asked for formal written requests for the documents. “I asked you if you wanted any documents like flight logs to put it in writing. You never did,” he said.
Blackburn swiftly corrected him: “Yes, sir, I did. And your staff knows that I did. We’ll submit once again the information to you. We’ve done that several times, but we’ll be happy to send it again. I think your staff doesn’t show that to you.”
Bondi’s appearance before the committee carried a broader message—one aimed squarely at what she described as recent falsehoods and politicization within the Justice Department.
“They are a critical reminder of our central mission here at the Department of Justice—protecting the safety and security of the American people,” Bondi began in her opening remarks. “Even when the government is otherwise shut down because of the Democrats, our law enforcement officers and prosecutors are hard at work fighting crime, keeping our streets safe, and protecting Americans from threats both foreign and domestic.”
She went on to recall her confirmation as the 87th Attorney General of the United States, emphasizing her mission to end what she called “the weaponization of justice” and to refocus the DOJ on its original mandate.
“We learned that the former FBI secretly investigated you and your colleagues because they wanted to take President Trump off the playing field,” she said. “They were playing politics with law enforcement powers, and it will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust. This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system—and we will work to earn that back every single day.”
Bondi highlighted several DOJ initiatives under her leadership, pointing to what she described as measurable progress in restoring integrity to the department. “Our federal surges in Washington, D.C., and Memphis are perfect examples of how the Department of Justice should operate,” she said. “We created strong partnerships with local leadership, working hand-in-hand with both cities to send resources where they were needed most. The results speak for themselves.”
She concluded by addressing the department’s broader record. “Despite the unprecedented degree of activism we’ve seen from lower courts, we have never ignored a court order—and why would we? We’ve secured a historic twenty-two victories at the Supreme Court alone, with more to come. Our civil rights attorneys are fighting discrimination and anti-Semitism. Our criminal attorneys are prosecuting violent offenders and foreign terrorists every single day,” Bondi said. “I look forward to continuing this work at the Department of Justice—and to testifying before you today.”
Bondi’s pointed exchange with Durbin marked one of the most tense and revealing moments in recent Senate Judiciary proceedings, reigniting debate over transparency, accountability, and political influence surrounding the Epstein case.