On Feb. 11, Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about the Epstein files. Her despicable and embarrassing performance can be summed up best in one line that she uttered in response to a question from Vermont Rep. Becca Balint: “I’m stunned that you want to continue talking about Epstein.”

Bondi is (allegedly) the nation’s highest law enforcement officer. Jeffrey Epstein was a serial child molester, who spent decades at large and maintained a close relationship with at least two U.S. presidents, including the incumbent. Bondi has obstructed the Epstein files’ release at every turn. She has shown a callous disregard to the crimes committed against these women and children. She refused to even apologize to the survivors of Epstein and his associates that were present in the room, whose names were inadvertently revealed in the files due to poor redacting from the Department of Justice.

At times like this, it’s important to remember that our senator, Susan Collins, voted to put her in the position of attorney general. As Collins embarks on a campaign for reelection to a sixth term, by touting her “experience” and “independence,” Mainers should be reminded of votes she’s taken, like to confirm Bondi, and keep it in mind when deciding who bests represents them in the U.S. Senate. I, for one, do not think anyone who put someone such as Bondi in a position such as attorney general should continue to represent our fine state.

Anthony Emerson
Portland