Enten: After firing Bondi, where does Epstein case stand for Trump?

[0:00] Attorney General Pam Bondi on her way involuntarily to the private sector. [0:05] So what do the numbers tell us about what went wrong for her? [0:08] CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Edden is here. [0:11] Good morning to you, sir. [0:13] How popular was Pam Bondi, you know, before yesterday, before she got fired? [0:17] Yeah, the American people are saying, thank God Pam Bondi is gone. [0:20] She wore on them like an in-law who stayed too late past Christmas vacation. [0:24] I mean, just take a look here. [0:25] Net popularity of Pam Bondi. [0:27] In January 2025, you know what? [0:29] She was actually in the positive side of the ledger. [0:31] Look at this, at plus one points. [0:33] But look at this. [0:34] Down she goes. [0:35] The more people got to knew Pam Bondi, the less they liked her. [0:38] Her net popularity rating by the end, negative 19 points, a 20-point shift in the wrong direction. [0:45] Of course, one of the key reasons being why was the Epstein case, which, of course, she [0:49] was helping in charge of that particular in the Trump administration. [0:53] And the American people, simply put, did not like Pam Bondi. [0:56] How does... [0:57] How does this compare to other people who've had the job? [0:59] Yeah, okay. [0:59] So, you know, President Trump sees this. [1:01] He sees, oh, my God, he's wearing a my... [1:03] She's wearing a my administration. [1:05] And more than that, he might recall that there was actually a fairly popular attorney general [1:09] at this point in administration. [1:11] Look at this. [1:11] Net popularities of attorneys general about this time in a presidency. [1:15] Look, Joe Biden's Merrick Garland was actually on the plus side of ledger at plus six points. [1:20] Look at this. [1:20] Pam Bondi, far more unpopular here at minus 19 points at this point. [1:25] So we're talking about... [1:27] Merrick Garland being more than 25 points more popular in the net popularity rating. [1:31] And that's the reason why I had to put this former in parentheses right here, [1:35] because Pam Bondi is bye-bye Bondi. [1:38] She's still serving for a little while longer. [1:40] She's a fire, yet she has, you know, the honor of getting to keep the job for a few more days [1:44] until she loses her access to the building. [1:46] You talked about Epstein. [1:48] You know, how does that issue rank, among others? [1:51] Yeah, how does it rank? [1:52] You know, the idea is, okay, we'll get rid of Pam Bondi, and maybe that would somehow [1:56] make you more popular. [1:57] Donald Trump and the Epstein case. [1:59] Look, the Epstein case is going to continue to be a big problem for Donald Trump, because [2:04] just take a look here. [2:05] Take a look at Trump's net approval rating. [2:07] Immigration, foreign policy, the economy, trade and tariffs, the Epstein case. [2:10] Look at this. [2:11] That is by far the worst issue for Donald Trump of the major issues at negative 40 points. [2:18] Negative 40 points. [2:19] Worse than immigration, worse than foreign policy, worse than the economy, worse than [2:22] trade and tariffs. [2:22] So the bottom line is this. [2:24] The Epstein case is not going away. [2:27] If you're Donald Trump, even if Pam Bondi is going away, the Epstein case is going to [2:32] continue to weigh on the president of the United States. [2:34] But you don't want to be the face of that issue in the administration. [2:37] Okay, what are the markets saying about who might be next as attorney general? [2:40] Okay, so who might be next for attorney general? [2:43] Let's take a look at the cash prediction market. [2:44] Take a look here. [2:45] Chance to be Trump's next attorney general. [2:48] Lee Zeldin is the favorite at this point. [2:49] Of course, Lee Zeldin from the great state of New York, the great island of Long. [2:54] 60% chance. [2:54] Todd Blanchard, a 26% chance. [2:57] So at this point, Zeldin is in the driver's seat, but I'm not quite sure it's a job you [3:01] really want. [3:03] It'll be interesting to see how much jockeying there is for the job in the next few months. [3:06] Harriet, thank you very much. [3:07] Thank you, my friend. [3:08] She faced a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee and was set to appear before lawmakers [3:12] for a deposition about the Epstein files in two weeks. [3:17] The person who had led that subpoena push, joining us now, Republican Congressman Nancy [3:21] Mace of South Carolina. [3:23] Thank you for being here. [3:24] Now, a committee spokesperson, Congresswoman, had told CNN. [3:27] Just yes, last night that the chairman, the plan after the news was that the chairman [3:32] was going to speak with members about the status of the deposition subpoena and confer [3:37] on next steps. [3:39] Have you talked to the chairman yet about those next steps? [3:43] I have not yet, but I made my point very clear yesterday when I issued this subpoena that [3:48] was voted on by the Oversight Committee a number of weeks ago. [3:51] We did it by name and not by the title of the attorney general. [3:54] So she's still compelled and required by law to come before the Oversight Committee. [3:58] And at this juncture, I'm not backing away from that or backing down from that. [4:03] I do believe the handling of the Epstein files was done in a very poor manner by her and her [4:10] office. [4:10] And there are still questions that she has answers to that are very serious and has information, [4:16] I believe, that will be important to the committee. [4:17] So I'm moving forward. [4:19] If I could still have the majority of support from the committee, it won't be just me. [4:24] I have to have the support of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move forward [4:27] if the chairman wants to. [4:28] I just quash it. [4:30] So there is a step that might need to be taken. [4:32] If the chairman wants to go a different direction than what has already happened, then you will [4:37] need support from Republican colleagues and Democratic colleagues to try to make sure [4:43] she comes in? [4:46] Yes. [4:46] And, you know, that'll be, I'm assuming if that's the overture right now, that I'll have [4:51] a little bit of work to do behind the scenes to make sure that I have any votes, if it's [4:55] going to come up for a vote or how we move forward. [4:57] I'm pushing to have her. [5:00] You know, she's made. [5:00] A lot of statements about the files. [5:02] I have questions about those statements. [5:03] I have questions about why not all of the files have been released. [5:08] I think there's a messaging issue as well and the lack of communication. [5:12] And quite frankly, the DOJ has mocked members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike. [5:17] I'm concerned about Todd Blanch because, you know, he's mocked and gone after members of [5:22] Congress who have had questions about the Epstein files. [5:25] And I think it's very important that the next attorney general that we show that there is [5:29] not a two tiered system of justice. [5:29] That if you're rich and powerful and politically connected, regardless, if you broke the law, [5:35] our country is going to go after you, that you will be arrested. [5:38] You will be investigated. [5:39] There will be a trial. [5:40] That's really important to me to restore trust in the institution. [5:44] You say that there's no question that this is the subpoena stands for Pam Bondi. [5:49] Do you have any inkling or suggestion that she if it stands, she will fight it at this [5:54] point? [5:57] I don't at this point. [5:58] I mean, the rumor was she didn't want to come in for it previous to this, which is why she [6:02] did the briefing pretty much immediately and we were only given 24 hours notice for that [6:07] briefing. [6:08] I'm again, I'm sticking to my guns as I always do, as I always have, because for me, this [6:14] is not this is not political. [6:15] This is personal. [6:16] I have met with these victims. [6:18] I have been through some many of the files at the DOJ and, you know, I have many questions [6:23] that I feel she can answer and others at the DOJ. [6:26] And there are folks that we're going to be bringing in to depose that I they're going [6:30] to be very important. [6:32] I know she's going to put out names. [6:33] I know Chairman Comer has put out a list of people that are going to be coming in. [6:36] This isn't going away. [6:38] And I applaud members of Congress on both sides of the aisle that are with me and are [6:42] pushing back to make sure that the American people get the truth. [6:45] Do you think that her being fired helps your effort or hurts it in terms of getting the [6:53] truth out about the Epstein files in your view? [6:57] I don't think it really matters because the subpoena was for her, not her position, you [7:02] know. [7:03] She was compelled legally to come before the Oversight Committee in Congress. [7:06] So I don't think it really plays one way or the other because the subpoena still stands. [7:12] Do you are you glad that she got fired? [7:17] I am actually. [7:18] And I know, you know, I've communicated with the president on potential names of replacements. [7:24] I hope that it'll be someone who will ensure that people are investigated, that they are [7:29] indicted, that they're arrested, that there are trials regardless of the politics. [7:33] There are investigations. [7:34] My understanding. [7:35] Okay. [7:36] So I think that's a great point. [7:37] And I think it's important for people that are better. [7:38] It's not politically connected, that they're going after the right and the left for those [7:42] who are criminals potentially and done potential criminal wrongdoing. [7:45] And I think it's really important that the DOJ communicate that with the American people. [7:50] But also people want I mean, the American people want to know that there's not a two [7:53] tiered system of justice like if you broke the law and you're rich and powerful, you [7:57] go to jail. [7:58] But no one's seeing that right now. [8:00] They've not seen that in years, maybe decades. [8:02] And then they see a broken and corrupt justice system at the state level. [8:06] Or at the federal level. [8:07] I mean, we've seen cases where murderers walk free or they're they're let out. [8:11] I mean, I spent half my time as a leading candidate for governor in South Carolina, [8:16] sitting in court hearings, making sure that I understand what judges are doing and how [8:20] victims are really traumatized in a broken court system, whether it's rape victims, families [8:25] of murder victims, domestic violence victims. [8:27] I mean, the whole system is corrupt and broken from the top on down. [8:32] Also noteworthy, and you've been you say you have been communicating with the president [8:36] on a potential names for who will be the next attorney general that he will be nominating.