Pam Bondi’s appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday was a fiery and contentious affair, marked by sharp partisan exchanges and a focus on the Justice Department’s handling of high-profile cases, including the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey and the ongoing Epstein investigation. This was Bondi’s first congressional oversight hearing as Attorney General, and it came at a politically charged moment. Just two weeks prior, her department indicted Comey, sparking outrage among Democrats. A day before the hearing, a group of former Justice Department employees accused Bondi of undermining the department’s mission to uphold the rule of law. Bondi entered the hearing ready for battle, employing a strategy of aggressive counterattacks against senators from both parties. She deflected questions about the Comey case, Epstein’s client list, and her communications with the White House, often pivoting to emphasize the Trump administration’s crime-fighting achievements. Democrats, led by Senators Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse, pressed Bondi on Epstein’s ties to powerful figures, including Trump, but she refused to provide details. Republicans, meanwhile, used the hearing to air grievances about the Biden administration and past Democratic actions. The five-hour session ended with both sides accusing the other of politicizing the Justice Department, leaving little room for bipartisan agreement.