Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California said Attorney General Pam Bondi could face inherent contempt of Congress or impeachment if the Justice Department fails to release the Jeffrey Epstein files by this week’s statutory deadline. Khanna made the comments as pressure intensified ahead of the deadline set under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law signed by President Donald Trump, Newsweek reported.
The legislation mandates the public release of federal investigative records related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The law passed both chambers of Congress with near-unanimous bipartisan support, reflecting widespread political agreement on the need for transparency.
Under the statute, the Justice Department must publish the records by Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.
The law allows limited redactions to protect victims’ identities and preserve the integrity of any ongoing federal investigations.
Bondi, as attorney general, is responsible for overseeing the release and ensuring compliance with the statute.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern that political considerations or unresolved legal issues could delay or limit the disclosure.
Supporters of the law have argued that any failure to comply would undermine congressional authority and public trust.
Khanna addressed the looming deadline in a video posted to X, emphasizing that multiple court orders have already required the release of the materials.
“Three federal judges have ordered the release of all of these files,” Khanna said.
Khanna said that Justice Department officials who fail to comply with the law could face prosecution for obstruction of justice.
He added that Bondi could be held in inherent contempt of Congress or subjected to impeachment proceedings.
Khanna said Congress would continue pursuing compliance until the law is fully executed.
As the deadline approached, House Democrats released a new batch of 68 images connected to Epstein.
The images were obtained from Epstein’s estate and released through the House Oversight Committee.
The photographs depict several well-known individuals, including Noam Chomsky, Steve Bannon, and Bill Gates.
Committee officials said there is no indication of wrongdoing by any individuals appearing in the images.
The Oversight Committee said it possesses thousands of additional images and documents related to the Epstein investigation.
Those materials include photographs, architectural plans for Epstein’s Caribbean property, and redacted personal records.
Lawmakers said the newly released images were intended to demonstrate the scope of materials still under federal control.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky also commented publicly on the situation.
In a lengthy video posted to X, Massie said attempts to delay compliance until the end of the current Congress would not prevent accountability.
Massie said a future attorney general would retain the authority to pursue charges against a former attorney general.
He added that penalties exist under federal law for failure to comply with congressional mandates.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also highlighted the approaching deadline.
In a post on X, Ocasio-Cortez said political developments leading up to Friday should be viewed in the context of the pending disclosure.
Khanna later reiterated his position in a separate post on X.
“I have long said the contents of the Epstein files will shock the conscience of our nation,” Khanna wrote.
President Trump referenced the legislation in a Truth Social post announcing that he had signed the bill into law in November.
Trump said he asked House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to advance the bill.
He said the votes were nearly unanimous as a result of that request.
Trump said the Justice Department had already turned over nearly 50,000 pages of Epstein-related documents to Congress.
He criticized the Biden administration for failing to release any files or publicly address the Epstein investigation.
The Justice Department has not publicly detailed the scope or format of the upcoming release.