Todd Blanche faces Epstein accusers as key Senate vote hangs in balance

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche sat down Thursday with Jeffrey Epstein accusers at Justice Department headquarters in Washington, a meeting that came after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Blanche needed to face them before he could win Tillis’ vote.

The roughly hourlong meeting landed in the middle of Blanche’s push to be confirmed as attorney general. Tillis’ support is pivotal because, without it, Blanche’s nomination cannot clear the Senate Judiciary Committee, CBS News reported.

A Justice Department spokesperson told CBS News the session included senior DOJ officials, FBI special agents and victim services representatives. The spokesperson described the meeting as productive and said Blanche answered questions while explaining what investigators would need to move ahead.

According to the DOJ spokesperson, Blanche urged victims who had not contacted the FBI during the Trump administration to meet with investigators. Some attendees spoke with agents after the meeting about setting up interviews, the spokesperson said.

Outside the meeting, Blanche told reporters he had encouraged the accusers to bring any potentially useful information to the FBI. He also acknowledged that the conversation was tense.

“It wasn’t all cordial,” Blanche said, according to CBS News. He said the accusers wanted “some form of justice” that he might not be able to provide, adding that he wanted prosecutions if possible. “But,” he added, “I don’t know.”

Several women who attended were not reassured. Epstein accuser Annie Farmer said after the meeting that she was “even more confident” senators should vote against Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general.

Farmer alleged Blanche had been “abrasive, condescending, and intentionally noncommittal to survivors,” calling his tone different from the way he appeared at his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing one day earlier.

Dani Bensky, whose name and personal information were mistakenly made public in Justice Department documents tied to the federal Epstein investigation, also criticized the meeting. Bensky had testified before the committee earlier Thursday before attending the DOJ session.

In a statement, Bensky said Blanche treated the meeting like a “check-the-box” step to collect confirmation votes. She said he interrupted accusers, avoided firm commitments and failed to offer what she considered a credible plan to pursue accountability beyond Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein, a disgraced financier, was a convicted sex offender. Maxwell, his longtime associate, has also been a central figure in the federal case.

The Epstein files have created ongoing political trouble for the Trump administration, which has released millions of investigative records over the past year. The Justice Department has said it will look further if new information comes in, while also saying the government does not currently have evidence to support additional prosecutions tied to Epstein.

Blanche has rejected claims that DOJ has brushed aside accusers, saying officials have spoken with more than 30 representatives of the women during the department’s file review. He told reporters the department would meet with victims or their representatives and investigate if they bring evidence of a crime.

Tillis had indicated during Wednesday’s hearing that he was leaning toward supporting Blanche, who has led the department in an acting role since April. After lawmakers heard Bensky’s testimony, Tillis said he expected Blanche to meet victims before he was willing to vote the nomination out of committee.

Later Thursday, Tillis praised Blanche for taking the meeting, writing on social media that he appreciated Blanche’s willingness to engage with the accusers and listen to them.

Blanche also faced questions at his hearing about the troubled release of Epstein-related documents. He said he accepted responsibility for mistakes, including redaction errors, but said DOJ lawyers had been given a difficult job reviewing millions of files quickly. He said errors were corrected fast, including by removing documents within minutes after officials learned of problems.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.