Jasmine Crockett Walks Out of Bondi Hearing Citing Cover-Up

Jasmine Crockett walked out of the Pam Bondi hearing declaring the hearing a “significant cover-up”.​

The Texas Democrat abandoned the February 11, 2026, testimony after Bondi responded to her criticism by displaying photographs of convicted criminals from Texas. The Attorney General faced over five hours of questioning about 9,500 Epstein documents the DOJ pulled from public access.

Crockett’s dramatic exit became the hearing’s defining visual moment.

The Hearing Breakdown

• Date: February 11, 2026
• Duration: Over 5 hours​
• Files in question: Approximately 9,500 documents​
• Redaction failure: Exposed victim-identifying information​
• Crockett’s exit time: Mid-hearing
• Crockett’s accusation: Cover-up, administration complicit​
• Bondi’s response: Displayed photos of Texas criminals​
• Epstein survivors present: Multiple victims attended​

The Moment Crockett Left

Crockett accused Bondi of valuing “fealty to the president” over the Constitution. She expressed astonishment that Bondi remains in her position, citing incompetence.​

Bondi responded by using Republican time slots to display prepared dossiers on committee members—including photographs of convicted criminals from Crockett’s Texas district. The implication: Crockett should focus on those criminals instead.​

“This is a significant cover-up. This administration is still involved in it, and in fact, complicit,” Crockett declared before walking out.​

What Sparked the Confrontation

The DOJ admitted removing 9,500 files after failing to properly redact victim-identifying information. Bondi sent letters to federal judges explaining the failures.​

Democrats accused her of orchestrating a cover-up to protect high-profile figures named in Epstein documents. Bondi maintained the department found no evidence of conspiracy.

The law authorizing the release explicitly prohibits withholding records “based on embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” to any government official or public figure. Yet nearly 10,000 documents vanished.

Bondi’s Attack Strategy

Bondi turned the hearing into a political brawl. When Representative Jamie Raskin accused her of “siding with the perpetrators,” she called him a “washed-up loser lawyer”.

She demanded Democrats apologize to Trump for his two impeachments instead of apologizing to Epstein survivors present in the room.​

When Representative Pramila Jayapal asked Bondi to acknowledge the survivors and apologize for the DOJ’s failures, Bondi refused—calling it “theatrics”.​

The Trump Questions She Dodged

California Democrat Ted Lieu asked whether Trump attended parties involving underage girls. Bondi called the question “ridiculous” and insisted no evidence implicates Trump.​

Senator Dick Durbin asked if the Justice Department briefed Trump on anything concerning in Epstein documents. Bondi refused to answer: “I’m not going to discuss anything that I’ve discussed with the president, senator”.​

That refusal became central to Democratic accusations of cover-up.

The Partisan Divide

Republicans avoided Epstein topics entirely, focusing on crime rates and public safety. Democrats concentrated exclusively on the file controversy and Bondi’s loyalty to Trump.​

The hearing showcased how Bondi has adopted Trump’s combative style—meeting tough questions with aggression rather than detailed answers. She made no acknowledgments of wrongdoing while repeatedly voicing loyalty to the president.​

Why Crockett’s Walkout Matters

Crockett’s exit symbolized Democratic frustration with Bondi’s refusal to provide transparency. Her accusation that the administration remains “complicit” in a cover-up reflects growing concerns about the DOJ’s independence.

The DOJ must provide written justification within 15 days for any withheld evidence. But Bondi’s testimony offered no clarity about what those 9,500 documents contained or which names they might protect.

Several Epstein survivors attended specifically to hear an apology for the DOJ’s carelessness with their identities. They sat through five hours of political combat and left without acknowledgment.

Crockett’s walkout may have been the only honest response to a hearing that provided no answers.