Attorney General Pam Bondi is under fire from every direction. On July 10, she tried to discredit a whistleblower who accused senior Justice Department officials of plotting to defy federal court orders. The whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, is a former DOJ immigration attorney who filed a complaint with the Senate Judiciary Committee last month. He says that on March 14, Emil Bove, now nominated for a federal judgeship, told staff they should “say f— you” to the courts and ignore any order blocking migrant deportation flights to El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
Bondi called Reuveni a “leaker asserting false claims seeking five minutes of fame.” But the evidence is stacking up. Reuveni’s legal team released internal DOJ texts and emails that appear to support his account. One message from DOJ Civil Division head Yaakov Roth confirms Bove advised DHS that deplaning migrants in El Salvador was legally permissible because the judge’s verbal order had not yet been docketed. That interpretation allowed flights to proceed despite the court’s intent to halt them.
The texts show Reuveni warning colleagues that the department was about to “say f— you to the court.” His supervisor replied, “Yup. It was good working with you.” Another colleague responded, “Well Pamela Jo Bondi is. Not you.” The Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Bove’s nomination July 17. Senate Democrats are using the whistleblower’s evidence to block confirmation. Republicans are split.
Bondi’s week got worse. On July 7, the DOJ released a memo confirming that Jeffrey Epstein had over 1,000 victims. That number dwarfs earlier estimates and has reignited public outrage. The memo also stated there was no client list, no evidence of blackmail, and no basis to investigate uncharged third parties. Bondi had previously claimed the list was “sitting on her desk.” Now she says it never existed. The reversal triggered backlash from Trump’s base, many of whom expected full disclosure under his administration.
The memo also confirmed that more than 10,000 videos and images were reviewed, many involving minors. The DOJ says the material is sealed to protect victims and will not be released. The memo concludes Epstein died by suicide in 2019, a finding still disputed by his brother and others.
Alan Dershowitz added fuel to the fire. On July 10, he told Sean Spicer that he has personally reviewed sealed Epstein documents and knows the names of powerful individuals being protected. He said, “Documents are being suppressed to protect individuals. I know the names. I know why they’re being suppressed. I know who’s suppressing them. But I’m bound by confidentiality.” Dershowitz gained access to the files while defending himself against accusations from Virginia Giuffre, who later recanted and settled the case.
Dershowitz says the DOJ’s claim that no client list exists is false. He insists the suppression is deliberate and wrong. He’s calling for full transparency and says the public deserves to see the documents. The DOJ says releasing the files would violate court orders and expose victims to further harm.
Bondi is now facing calls to resign from MAGA loyalists who accuse her of walking back promises. The whistleblower case and the Epstein memo have collided into a storm of distrust. The credibility of the Justice Department is in question. The balance of power is shifting. And the public is watching every move.
Sources:
https://gizmodo.com/new-doj-memo-shows-jeffrey-epstein-had-1000-victims-2000627665
