Bondi spars over Epstein but stays silent on Comey: takeaways from a tense hearing

The attorney general clashed with Democrats over Trump, Epstein, and the weaponization' of the justice department

In an often tense hearing before the Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday, the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, stood accused by Democrats of weaponizing the US Department of Justice, fundamentally transforming" the department, and leaving an enormous stain on American history" that it will take decades to recover [from]".

Bondi criticized Democratic lawmakers in personal terms as she faced questions over the department's enforcement efforts in Democratic-led cities, her mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and inquiries into Donald Trump's political adversaries. Here are the key takeaways from Bondi's appearance.