AG Pam Bondi delivers striking remark about sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday made a striking statement about Ghislaine Maxwell, co-conspirator to accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence, and said this week she would only openly speak about what she knew if President Donald Trump granted her clemency.

Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC) pressed Bondi during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill over who signed off on the special privileges and transfer of Maxwell from a Florida state facility to a lower security facility in Texas nicknamed "Club Fed," where Maxwell reportedly got access to a private gym and a therapy puppy.

Bondi, who oversees the Bureau of Prisons, tried to argue that she was not aware of the decision to move Maxwell and shift the blame — then shared a stunning remark about what she hopes will happen to Maxwell.

"I said I do not agree she should receive special treatment, she was transferred, I learned after the fact, to the same level facility, and that is a question for the Bureau of Prisons," Bondi said. "I was not involved in that at all, the same level facility, I don't know why. But you know, instead of talking about Ghislaine Maxwell, who hopefully will die in prison, hopefully will die in prison, you should be talking about Iryna Zarutska, who died on a subway. You don't talk about that."

"I have been talking about it and actually helping with these issues, but we're going to move back to you," Ross said.

"I bet we are," Bondi said.

People in the room started laughing over the tense moment and surprising statement.

"Yes, of course, because you're here to testify," Ross said. "That's what the whole point of this endeavor is, so of course we're going to move back to you; it's all about you."