Blanche to meet with Epstein survivors after Tillis ultimatum
Blanche to Convene with Epstein Survivors Following Tillis Deadline
Blanche to meet with Epstein survivors - Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has agreed to hold a meeting Thursday afternoon with individuals who survived Jeffrey Epstein's sexual offenses. This arrangement comes after significant pressure from congressional members during recent hearings on Capitol Hill. A source within the Department of Justice, knowledgeable about the upcoming session, shared details with NewsNation, which serves as The Hill's broadcast partner. According to this insider, the gathering will take place at the DOJ's main headquarters building.
Tillis Sets Conditions for Nomination Support
The announcement follows a statement made by Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Thursday. Tillis declared he would withhold his backing for Blanche's potential appointment as the nation's chief law enforcement officer until the acting attorney general meets with Epstein's victims. Tillis explained his position to reporters, noting that while he has not finalized his decision, Blanche responded promptly to his request.
"I have not made a final decision. But Mr. Blanche said very quickly yesterday that he would meet with the victims, the Epstein victims, today if it could be arranged," Tillis stated.
During Wednesday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blanche informed lawmakers that he faced limitations on meeting directly with victims. The senator acknowledged these constraints while emphasizing the importance of the upcoming encounter.
"It seemed to me that Mr. Blanche was willing to say that he would meet with them and counsel," Tillis continued. "I understand the restriction that counsel has to be present. I expect that meeting to occur before I'm willing to vote out of this committee, and I'm trying to get to yes. But this is a very important part of getting to yes."
The North Carolina senator pointed out that the committee plans to vote on Blanche's nomination during its next markup session, scheduled for two weeks from now. This timeline adds urgency to the meeting arrangement.
Questions Over Epstein Files Redaction
Blanche has encountered challenging questions from Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee throughout this week. These inquiries focused on how the Department of Justice managed the public release of documents connected to its investigation into Epstein's criminal activities. Congress mandated that the department reveal millions of these records after passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act during the previous fall.
Multiple survivors of Epstein's offenses voiced concerns that their personal details were not adequately removed from the DOJ's public database. They alleged that the department did not sufficiently protect victim privacy in its document handling process. Blanche addressed these concerns during his Wednesday testimony, explaining that the DOJ worked quickly to fix any redaction mistakes.
"We had dozens of lawyers on call 24/7," Blanche said Wednesday. "Whenever we learned that any victim's name had been improperly not redacted, we immediately took the document down and fixed it as soon as we could."
The acting attorney general acknowledged that errors occurred during the redaction process but emphasized the department's commitment to correcting them promptly.
Meeting Rescheduled After Initial Attempt
A Department of Justice spokesperson provided additional context on Thursday afternoon, revealing that Blanche had originally offered to meet with Epstein survivors earlier in the day on Capitol Hill. These victims had attended his confirmation hearing. However, complications arose when the acting attorney general arrived at the designated meeting room.
"Unfortunately, after heading to the meeting room, the Acting AG was informed that the victims were unable to attend, so the meeting was rescheduled for this afternoon," the spokesperson explained. "He looks forward to their discussion."
The spokesperson also mentioned that DOJ leadership had already communicated with nearly thirty attorneys and organizations that represent Epstein's victims. Furthermore, the department has consistently encouraged any victim possessing new evidence of criminal activity to contact the FBI directly.
Reactions After the Meeting
Tillis expressed approval of Blanche's decision to meet with survivors in a social media post published on Thursday evening. The senator praised the acting attorney general for taking an action that previous leaders had not undertaken over the past twenty years.
"I commend Todd Blanche for doing what all his predecessors over the last two decades never did: meet with the victims of Jeffery Epstein's horrific crimes," the lawmaker wrote. "I appreciate his willingness to directly engage and listen to them."
However, not all reactions were positive. Annie Farmer, an Epstein survivor and activist, issued a statement following Thursday's meeting with Blanche. She accused the acting attorney general of leaving survivors in a cycle of seeking answers without receiving them.
"I found him abrasive, condescending, and intentionally noncommittal to survivors — a marked contrast to his public testimony during his confirmation hearing," she said in her statement. "While quick to point to the failures of previous administrations, he refused to take accountability for mistakes made under his own leadership."
The mixed responses highlight the ongoing tension between the DOJ's leadership and Epstein's victims as they navigate the path toward accountability and transparency.