Epstein Survivors Call Pam Bondi’s Firing ‘karma’ But Worry It’s Just Trump Being ‘performative’

Sexual maltreatment survivors of Jeffrey Epstein celebrated President Donald Trump’s dismissal of Attorney General Pam Bondi Thursday, moreover arsenic they worried astir who mightiness switch her.

Jess Michaels, a subsister of nan convicted activity trafficker, told The Independent that she had 2 contiguous reactions to Bondi’s dismissal.

“My instant guidance is bully riddance and very glad that she was fired,” Michaels said. “My 2nd guidance is, is this conscionable different hold tactic?”

Bondi came nether crisp disapproval past twelvemonth aft she had initially said that she had files connected Epstein friends and associates fresh to beryllium made public.

“It’s sitting connected my table correct now to review,” she said astatine nan time. But months later, nan Department of Justice and nan FBI released a two-page memo saying that nan activity offender — who killed himself successful a national jailhouse successful New York City — had nary “client list.”

“That was nan logic why we showed up successful September,” Lisa Phillips told The Independent. “We believed her, you know, we were waiting for her to do that, to do nan correct point by us, and she didn't.”

That prompted survivors to travel to Capitol Hill to push for nan merchandise of those alleged Epstein files. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) received capable signatures for a discharge petition to force a ballot connected nan legislation. But moreover though nan rule mandated that nan files beryllium released by Dec. 19, 2025, nan afloat files person not been afloat released.

“You person to remember, we're complete 100 days past nan deadline for of Dec. 19,” Michaels said but wondered, “Just firing Pam Bondi, is it performative?”

Haley Robson, another subsister of Epstein who publically disavowed her erstwhile support for Trump and called for nan president’s impeachment, besides celebrated Bondi’s sacking.

“I ne'er thought I would spot this day, but I'm a small intrigued connected why he is choosing now to occurrence her erstwhile she has done truthful galore things successful nan past, for illustration six months to a twelvemonth that person been deserving of resignation,” Robson told The Independent.

In a bipartisan move, nan House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi to attest later this month. She is required to look for a deposition connected April 14.

But Robson said that she expected Bondi to repetition her aged behaviors.

“I don't deliberation that she ever intended to beryllium honorable aliases to stock immoderate information,” Robson said of Bondi.

“So it wouldn't beryllium thing caller for her to do, but conscionable nan truth that she's nary longer successful her position of powerfulness because she has abused that power,” she said. “It’s quite, you cognize what — convey you, karma.”

Bondi besides received harsh disapproval erstwhile she testified earlier nan House Judiciary Committee successful February, erstwhile Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) asked which survivors of Epstein’s maltreatment had not been capable to meet pinch Bondi. When each of them raised their hands, Bondi refused to moreover move astir successful her spot to admit them.

“It was for illustration we were shaking,” Phillips said. “I was crying, because that was nan period erstwhile I realized, ‘oh, this female doesn't attraction astir us, and we're not getting justness done her.’”

The president said successful his announcement that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, for illustration Bondi a erstwhile individual lawyer of Trump’s, would service arsenic interim lawyer general. In August, Blanche met and interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s erstwhile partner, provider and co-conspirator successful maltreatment of young girls.

Phillips said she did not cognize that when The Independent informed her.

“But Todd Blanche isn’t going to beryllium immoderate better,” she said. “I dream that Tom blanch takes a different stand. I dream he's really looked nan files now, and he takes a different guidelines for survivors and for nan American people.”

Bondi’s imperishable replacement will request to spell done a confirmation proceeding done nan Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate passed nan Epstein Files Transparency Act by unanimous consent successful November and immoderate nominee will apt look questions astir nan files.