GOP Senator Makes Epstein Victims Meeting a Condition for Supporting Todd Blanche
SCN International Desk
WASHINGTON — A key Republican senator has said he will not support Todd Blanche’s nomination to become permanent US attorney general unless Blanche first meets directly with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse and their lawyers.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a crucial member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Thursday that such a meeting was a necessary condition for winning his vote. Tillis indicated that he was generally inclined to support Blanche but said the nominee must demonstrate that the Justice Department is prepared to listen personally to survivors.
“I’m trying to get to yes, but this is a very important part,” Tillis said while discussing Blanche’s confirmation prospects. A committee vote is not expected for approximately two weeks, giving Blanche a limited period to address the senator’s concerns.
The demand followed testimony from Epstein survivor Dani Bensky, who told senators that Blanche had failed to respond to repeated requests for a meeting. Survivors and their advocates have accused Justice Department leaders of giving insufficient attention to the people harmed by Epstein while prioritizing the political and legal controversy surrounding the release of government records.
During his confirmation hearing, Blanche said ethics and legal considerations could prevent him from meeting privately with represented individuals without their attorneys. He suggested that an experienced Justice Department official could meet them instead, although Tillis said he expected Blanche to participate personally alongside the survivors’ legal representatives.
Blanche, who is currently serving as acting attorney general, has said the department remains willing to meet survivors and investigate credible allegations. His nomination, however, has come under bipartisan scrutiny because of the Justice Department’s handling of millions of pages connected to the Epstein investigation.
Blanche acknowledged during the hearing that mistakes were made during the document-release process. Some files reportedly contained insufficiently redacted personal information that exposed or risked identifying Epstein victims, prompting criticism that the department failed to protect survivors while attempting to release the records quickly.
The controversy has become particularly significant because of the Judiciary Committee’s narrow partisan balance. The panel consists of 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, and Democrats are expected to oppose Blanche. Without Tillis, Blanche could struggle to secure enough committee support to move his nomination smoothly to the full Senate.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas has also remained undecided, raising separate concerns about Blanche’s involvement in a controversial proposed compensation fund connected to claims that federal law enforcement had been politically “weaponized.” The combination of Republican concerns has made Blanche’s confirmation less certain than administration officials initially expected.
Blanche previously served as President Donald Trump’s personal defense lawyer before joining the Justice Department. His close relationship with the president, management of politically sensitive investigations and handling of the Epstein records have all become central issues in the confirmation debate.
Tillis said he still has a favorable predisposition toward Blanche and wants to support him. But his ultimatum places Epstein’s victims at the center of the confirmation process and requires Blanche to demonstrate direct engagement before the senator commits his vote.
The coming meeting—should it occur—could therefore determine whether Blanche’s nomination advances or becomes stalled inside the Judiciary Committee.