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

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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.”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 improved long-range strike capabilities, even as Moscow intensifies its deadly aerial campaign across the country. Continue reading...

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John Fetterman sparks fresh fury as he becomes first Dem to hand Trump court victory

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John Fetterman sparks fresh fury as he becomes first Dem to hand Trump court victory

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) sparked another wave of liberal outrage after becoming the first Senate Democrat to clear the path for one of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees during the president’s second term, Punchbowl News reported Friday.Fetterman has become something of a pariah among Democrats after routinely siding with Republicans on various issues, including matters related to immigration enforcement, Trump’s war powers and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. And on Friday, Punchbowl News confirmed that he had waived his right to block Trump’s lifetime nomination of a federal judge in Pennsylvania, sparking fury among a major liberal and anti-Trump advocacy organization.“These are not normal times, and any senator who thinks that this is standard operating procedure and that any of these nominations are normal course of operations is deluding themselves,” said Josh Orton, president of the organization Demand Justice, speaking with Punchbowl News.“If Democrats truly believe that we have to stand up to Trump’s attacks on the rule of law, they have to do so in every room — not just on Twitter and not just on TV.”Fetterman cleared the path for the Trump-tapped Antonio Pozos to serve as a lifetime federal judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, doing so by turning in his blue slip, a process that waives his right to oppose Pozos’ appointment.“It’s the first time in Trump’s second term that a Senate Democrat has turned in a blue slip for one of Trump’s judicial picks,” Punchbowl News’ report read. “The move is already setting off yet another battle between Fetterman and his numerous critics on the left, who demand unyielding opposition to Trump, particularly on lifetime appointments to the federal bench.”

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Colbert replacement hemorrhages audience as devastating new CBS viewer figures released

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Colbert replacement hemorrhages audience as devastating new CBS viewer figures released

Viewers angry over CBS's cancellation of Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" are making their displeasure known, with Byron Allen's replacement program "Comics Unleashed" hemorrhaging more than half its audience — and competitors Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon capitalize on the exodus.According to The Daily Beast, the viewership just days after CBS pulled the plug on Colbert tells a devastating story for the network's late-night strategy.Kimmel's show experienced a dramatic surge, drawing 2.185 million total viewers on June 1—a 53-percent year-on-year increase. In the coveted 18-49 demographic, ABC's late-night leader captured an eye-popping 295,000 viewers, representing a staggering 178-percent increase from the same night last year.Fallon's "Tonight Show" came in a distant second with 1.301 million total viewers, though that was still a respectable 10-percent year-over-year increase. The NBC program pulled in 194,000 viewers in the 18-49 demo, a 14-percent improvement from last year.CBS, meanwhile, cratered. Allen's "Comics Unleashed," which debuted a day after Colbert's departure, drew only 628,000 total viewers — a catastrophic 65-percent drop compared to the same time slot last year. In the crucial 18-49 demographic, the show managed just 82,000 viewers, according to the Beast report.The report notes the financial structure of Allen's arrangement insulates CBS from the direct financial damage. Under a "time buy" deal, Allen purchased the 11:35 p.m. time slot directly from CBS and covers all production costs while retaining the right to sell advertising himself. That arrangement means Allen—not the network—absorbs the financial consequences of the poor ratings.A source told The Daily Beast that this model actually benefits CBS by allowing the network to program the late-night slot without exposure to audience and advertiser volatility, even as the show itself collapses into irrelevancy.

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New York Democrats take first step toward drawing new congressional lines ahead of 2028

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11 hours ago

New York Democrats take first step toward drawing new congressional lines ahead of 2028

Amid the national redistricting war, New York lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would provide them with more map-drawing power.

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'It's disastrous': Expert warns Pam Bondi just put Todd Blanche in legal jeopardy

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13 hours ago

'It's disastrous': Expert warns Pam Bondi just put Todd Blanche in legal jeopardy

The Epstein files and Pam Bondi's testimony released on Thursday could come back to haunt Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as he approaches his Senate confirmation hearing process, a legal expert said.During a live broadcast with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, CNN legal analyst Elie Honig noted that Bondi, who served as the former attorney general until she was fired by President Donald Trump in April, told lawmakers that Blanche was overseeing the release of the Epstein files and could come under further scrutiny because of her comments."It has to be a big problem for Todd Blanche, Jake, because there's nothing good in this whole mess of the Epstein files, legally or politically," Honig said. "And if you look at today's transcript, Pam Bondi truly does Todd Blanche no favors," Honig explained. "And I don't think she's trying to hurt him."He argued that Bondi was making an effort during the closed-door testimony with the House Oversight Committee to "praise Todd Blanche's skill and ethics and his handling of this whole process." "But the bottom line is it's disastrous," Honig added. "Todd Blanche was in charge. Pam Bondi makes that clear: the process that resulted in the release of victims' names, the process that resulted in the improper redaction of wrongdoers' names, and a process that was chaotic, overdue, and satisfied no one. And there's no way for Blanche to get out of that. It's actually surprising when you read the transcript how little Bondi knew about what was going on. This seems like it was a complete delegation, and you can bet this will come up in a big way when Todd Blanche goes in front of the Senate for his confirmation hearings."

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Pam Bondi created a headache for Todd Blanche that he 'can't run and hide from': analyst

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Pam Bondi created a headache for Todd Blanche that he 'can't run and hide from': analyst

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi created a headache for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that he may not be able to run and hide from, according to one legal analyst. Last week, Bondi told House lawmakers that Blanche was the one in control of how the Jeffrey Epstein files were being released, according to newly released transcripts. Elie Honig, CNN's senior legal analyst, said on "Anderson Cooper 360" that the statement could prove problematic for Blanche as he seeks Senate confirmation for the full role of Attorney General. "The timing on that could not possibly have been worse for Todd Blanche to come out today," Honig said. Blanche has close ties to President Donald Trump, serving as his defense attorney in the New York hush money case. He's also shown a willingness to go up to bat for the president, as illustrated by his back-to-back contentious hearings on Capitol Hill this week. CNN reported on Wednesday that Trump is considering promoting Blanche as soon as this week. Honig noted that the Epstein files and other scandals could hinder Blanche's confirmation hearings. "When Todd comes up for his nomination, issue number one is going to be this weaponization fund, and issue two is going to be the Epstein files, and he can't run and hide from it now," Honig said.

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House committee releases transcript of Bondi interview about Epstein files

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15 hours ago

House committee releases transcript of Bondi interview about Epstein files

The House Oversight Committee released the transcript of the interview with former Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding her handling of the Epstein files, during which she repeated that she delegated oversight of the review and investigation of the files to Todd Blanche. The committee also released the transcript of a prison guard working the night that Epstein died.

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5 standout moments from Pam Bondi's testimony on the Jeffrey Epstein files

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16 hours ago

5 standout moments from Pam Bondi's testimony on the Jeffrey Epstein files

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi's testimony with the House Oversight Committee was released on Thursday, revealing new details about the Department of Justice's rollout of the Epstein files. Bondi was interviewed by House lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week and responded to questions about criticisms of how the department handled the release of documents and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators.Here are five things to know about Bondi's testimony.1. Bondi claimed she did not know about a document where Epstein’s 10 co-conspirators are listed.Lawmakers showed Bondi an email from the 2019 Epstein case in the Southern District of New York and asked her to comment.At one point, Bondi's attorney, Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Justice Department, told the lawmakers, "She's not going to answer that.""I don't recall ever reviewing this document, so I don't know who's in it, and that came from the FBI New York," Bondi said.2. Bondi blamed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the release of the Epstein files. Bondi said that Blanche was responsible for overseeing the Department of Justice's release of the documents and materials. “He was in charge of the process and the entire release of the Epstein files," Bondi said.She also said he briefed her on the case as soon as she joined the DOJ as attorney general in January 2025.3. She claimed Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell because no one from the DOJ had interviewed her about Epstein."I believe Deputy Attorney General, now-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, has said on several occasions that Epstein, by that time, was dead and no one had taken — had made an effort to interview Ghislaine Maxwell to see if she had evidence of co-conspirators and other crimes, and that was why he interviewed her," Bondi said.She said she did not recall how the interview was prompted or whether Maxwell reached out first."I believe — I don't believe who initiated it. If she reached out to us, I believe — I don't want to speculate, but I believe Deputy Attorney General Blanche, at the time, reached out to them because there was someone, still living, in prison, who had potential information about other co-conspirators and crimes," Bondi said.4. Bondi did not confirm if Blanche had knowledge of Maxwell's prison relocation."He may, and I'm not sure if he'd addressed that publicly. Probably. But transferring a prisoner is the decision of the Bureau of Prisons," Bondi said.5. Bondi does not think Maxwell should be pardoned by President Donald Trump."I believe she should die in prison," Bondi said. "She was a monster, just like Jeffrey Epstein," Bondi added. "She recruited these young women to a life of prostitution and abuse. And I often think the women that do that are just as bad, if not worse, than the men, because she participated in it."

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House committee calls on DOJ to investigate two men with ties to Jeffrey Epstein

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16 hours ago

House committee calls on DOJ to investigate two men with ties to Jeffrey Epstein

The House Oversight Committee said Thursday it was asking the Justice Department to investigate sexual misconduct allegations made by Jeffrey Epstein’s former assistant, Sarah Kellen, against two of his associates

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