Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie say they’re considering inherent contempt charges against Pam Bondi

Reps. Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, and Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, said Sunday they were committed to holding Justice Department officials accountable for their failure to release all of Epstein’s eligible records by Friday’s deadline, saying they were talking with members of Congress about holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt.

“The quickest, and I think the quickest, way to get justice for these victims is to inflict inherent contempt on Pam Bondi,” Massie told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday when asked how Congress could force the Justice Department to release the rest of the records related to Jeffrey Epstein.

His comments come after Kaine, D-Va., told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday that calls to impeach Justice Department officials over their handling of the release of the Epstein files were “premature,” after Khanna raised the possibility of impeachment on Friday.

On Sunday, Kaine highlighted other mechanisms Congress has to get the Trump administration to release certain information.

“We have tools in appropriations bills and other tools to force compliance if someone is dragging their feet, and I’d rather focus on those tools than get into discussions about contempt and impeachment,” Kaine said.

He specifically pointed to a provision of a defense funding law that could limit Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget next year if the Defense Department does not release video of some strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean.

Khanna and Massie last month led congressional efforts to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Trump administration to disclose all unclassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein by December 19.

On Friday, the department released thousands of records, but not all of the documents Khanna and Massie expected, leading to widespread condemnation of the Justice Department from both sides.

Khanna told CNN on Friday that “Congress is talking about possible impeachment. They’re talking about an inherent contempt for the attorney general or the deputy attorney general.”

The California congressman added: “Any Department of Justice official found to have obstructed justice may be subject to prosecution in this or a future administration. »

Asked about Kaine’s comments, Khanna said they “only need the House for the inherent contempt,” he added that “we are building a bipartisan coalition and Pam Bondi would be fined for every day she fails to release these documents.”

On Sunday, Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche, who appeared on “Meet the Press” just before Kaine, said the full files would be released, but that department lawyers were still working to redact information and photos related to Epstein’s victims.

“We go through a very methodical process with hundreds of attorneys reviewing every document and making sure that the victims’ names and all of the victims’ information is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the transparency law expects,” Blanche said.

He also responded to Massie and Khanna’s claims of possible impeachment or contempt of Congress, saying he didn’t take the threats seriously, “not even a little bit.”

“Go for it,” he added. “We are doing everything we are supposed to do to comply with this law. And Congressman Massey and the other members of Congress who speak negatively about Director Patel and the Attorney General have no idea what they are talking about.”

Massie did not call on Congress to impeach Justice Department officials, but pointed to a provision of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that would allow future presidential administrations to prosecute current Justice Department officials who fail to meet deadlines set by the legislation.

“A future DOJ could convict the current attorney general and others because the Epstein Records Transparency Act is not like a congressional subpoena that expires at the end of each Congress,” Massie wrote in a Friday X article.

On Sunday, Kaine also spoke about several undated photos of former President Bill Clinton that were released Friday without context in the Epstein files, saying Clinton “should address” the photos.

“If there are any unanswered questions, you know, he should answer them, and I think he will,” the Virginia senator said. The former president has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

In a statement released Friday, a Clinton spokesperson said, “The White House did not hide these files for months only to throw them out Friday night to protect Bill Clinton.”

Blanche said Sunday that the Justice Department is not currently planning to charge anyone based on material in the released Epstein files.

“We are not ready to file charges against anyone, but we are constantly learning new information,” he told “Meet the Press.”