Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi defended her handling of files related to convicted

sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a closed-door congressional hearing today.

NPR's Ava Berger has more.

In a prepared opening statement, Bondi told the House Oversight Committee that she

stands behind her work as Attorney General

and the department's record under her leadership.

She admitted there was redaction errors in the Epstein filed release,

but she also noted that the Epstein document review was overseen by her deputy, Todd Blanche.

Outside the day's proceedings, a group of Epstein survivors demanded answers.

One of them was Danny Benski.

When do we get investigations and who the hell are we protecting?

Benzky met Epstein when she was a young ballerina. She alleges he sexually abused her.

There are six more interviews scheduled for the committee, including Bill Gates.

Ava Berger and PR News, the Capitol.

Louisiana lawmakers have approved a new Republican-friendly congressional map.

Brooke Thorrington of Member Station W.RKF reports the state's primaries were delayed to allow for redistricting. Republican lawmakers raced to eliminate one of two majority black seats after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the

old map unconstitutional. That decision further weakened a central part of the Voting Rights Act.

Democratic State Senator Royce DuPlessis expressed his frustration with the process and a map

that dilutes the black vote. This is a vicious, vicious race to the bottom, and I believe that SB 121, even after these

amendments, only accelerates that race to the bottom for us as a country.

Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed the bill into law.

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