Attorney General Pam Bondi's False Testimony on Maxwell's Prison Transfer
In sworn testimony before Congress on Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi made a false claim regarding the prison transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's partner in child sex trafficking. Bondi asserted that Maxwell was not moved to a "lower-level" facility, despite the Department of Justice's action last summer to transfer her to a more relaxed, minimum-security prison.
Details of the Transfer and Bondi's Statements
Days after a meeting with Bondi's deputy, Todd Blanche, a former defense lawyer for Donald Trump, Maxwell was relocated from the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution in Florida to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas. While Tallahassee is classified as a low-security prison, FPC Bryan is a minimum-security facility, often referred to as a "Club Fed," typically reserved for nonviolent, white-collar offenders nearing the end of their sentences.
Bondi, who began her testimony by agreeing to answer truthfully under penalty of perjury before the House Judiciary Committee, responded to a question from Democratic committee member Deborah Ross of North Carolina. Ross inquired whether a convicted sex offender like Maxwell deserved special treatment in prison. Bondi replied, "I did not know she was being transferred, and she was not transferred to a lower-level facility." She later repeated this false assertion twice, insisting the transfer was to a "same level" prison.
Contradictions and Evidence
It remains unclear how Bondi could be unaware of the transfer, given that the Bureau of Prisons falls under her agency's jurisdiction. Her claim about the prison levels is demonstrably false. Inmates at Tallahassee sleep in cells behind tall, razor-topped fencing, whereas Bryan has a section with no fence at all, where inmates reside in dormitories.
Further evidence suggests Maxwell received preferential treatment at Bryan. A former inmate reported to HuffPost that Maxwell enjoyed special privileges, such as access to grapefruit juice, opportunities to interact with puppies, and assistance from the warden with appeal paperwork. In communications with a relative after her transfer, Maxwell expressed joy over her new conditions, noting better food, cleanliness, and polite staff, describing it as a significant improvement in safety and happiness.
Broader Context and Implications
Bondi has previously been involved in controversial legal actions, including an attempt to prosecute former FBI director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress, part of a retribution campaign against critics of then-President Trump. That indictment was dismissed due to the illegal appointment of the prosecutor.
The consequences for Bondi's false testimony are uncertain. Typically, Congress refers witnesses who lie to the Department of Justice for prosecution, but Bondi oversees that department, creating a potential conflict. Meanwhile, Maxwell, convicted in late 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in 2022, recently invoked her Fifth Amendment right during a House Oversight Committee appearance. Her lawyer indicated she would answer questions truthfully if granted clemency by Trump, who has repeatedly refused to rule out pardoning her.
This incident adds to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Epstein, a longtime friend of Trump who died by apparent suicide in 2019 after arrest on child sex trafficking charges. The false statements highlight issues of accountability and transparency within the justice system.
