Blanche Agrees to Meet Epstein Victims as 1 GOP Vote Could Sink His Nomination
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 16
Blanche Agrees to Meet Epstein Victims as 1 GOP Vote Could Sink His Nomination
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 16
Summary
Thom Tillis said he would oppose Todd Blanche in committee unless the acting attorney general meets Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, prompting the Justice Department to say Blanche will do so later Thursday.
That demand carries unusual weight because Republicans hold only an 11-10 Judiciary Committee edge after Lindsey Graham’s death, leaving Blanche little room for defections if Democrats unite against him.
Hours of testimony also exposed other vulnerabilities: Blanche sidestepped judging Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons, defended DOJ’s abandoned $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, and faced criticism over redactions in Epstein files.
Supporters such as former attorney general John Ashcroft praised Blanche’s constitutional focus, while former pardon attorney Liz Oyer and victim Dani Bensky argued he has damaged DOJ credibility and ignored survivors for months.
The hearing underscored the broader question hanging over Blanche’s nomination: whether Trump’s former personal lawyer can convince skeptical Republicans he would run the Justice Department independently.