Sen. Thom Tillis said he will not advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. Attorney General from the Senate Judiciary Committee unless Blanche meets with victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Tillis told reporters he expects the meeting "before I'm willing to vote out of this committee," adding, "This is a very important part of getting to yes." Blanche had previously claimed he would meet with Epstein victims "today" if arrangements were made [1, 2].
Sen. John Cornyn remains undecided on whether to support Blanche’s confirmation. The Senate Judiciary Committee has a slim Republican majority of 11-10 following the recent death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, raising the importance of every vote [1, 3].
Epstein victims have publicly criticized Blanche and the Department of Justice for sharing files that accidentally revealed victim identities. Dani Bensky, one of the victims, testified on July 16 that she has received no contact from Blanche despite his promises. She said the acting AG "has simply ignored us for the last eight months and been radio silent" [1, 3].
Blanche’s confirmation hearings began on July 15. At the hearing, questions arose about a defunct DOJ fund amounting to $1.8 billion [1].
The Senate Judiciary Committee expects to hold a vote on Blanche’s nomination within two weeks of mid-July. Tillis emphasized there should be "no reason" Blanche cannot meet with victims during that time [2, 3]. The outcome of the vote could hinge on whether Blanche follows through on his commitment to engage with Epstein’s survivors.
