Bondi distances herself from botched release of Epstein files | First Thing

The former Attorney General Pam Bondi, center, arrives for her deposition on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Rod Lamkey/AP View image in fullscreen The former Attorney General Pam Bondi, center, arrives for her deposition on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Rod Lamkey/AP First Thing: Bondi distances herself from ‘botched’ release of Epstein files Former attorney general said expected replacement, Todd Blanche, had been in charge of controversial process. Plus: why are 80% of US consumers angry? Good morning. Appearing before the House oversight and reform committee, the former attorney general Pam Bondi told lawmakers that Todd Blanche, the man Donald Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. She also said she was “not certain of the extent” that Trump knew about the crimes of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell before they became public. In her opening statement, Bondi defended the justice department’s handling of the records under her leadership and tried to distance herself from the release and review of the files, saying she did not “lead every aspect” of the DoJ’s effort, but that it was Blanche who oversaw it. If formally nominated by Trump to be attorney general on a permanent basis, Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate. Why is the release of the files under scrutiny? Several lawmakers as well as survivors of Epstein’s abuse, have criticized some of the department’s actions and raised concerns over certain redactions and the disclosure of sensitive personal information in the files. Bondi acknowledged “there were redaction errors” in the release, but added: “Since day one of this process, this department has been committed to accountability and transparency.” House passes bill to aid Ukraine as Zelenskyy calls for talks with Putin View image in fullscreen In a open letter to Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured called for face-to-face talks. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock The House passed legislation Thursday that would aid Ukraine and impose sanctions on key segments of the Russian economy, overriding objections from Republican leaders who said the bill would undermine negotiations designed to achieve a comparable but stronger result. The legislation, which was sponsored by the Democratic representative Gregory Meeks, seeks to cement US assistance for Ukraine by providing more than $1bn in security and reconstruction aid. It would make another $8bn available for Ukraine’s defense through loans. What are the latest developments in Ukraine? In his first public letter to Vladimir Putin since the 2022 invasion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations . Acknowledging shifting US priorities while Washington remained focused on the Iran war, the Ukrainian president noted it would be wrong to simply wait for the Trump administration to step in. The proposal comes as Ukraine regains some battlefield leverage through impro