Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is set to meet Thursday afternoon with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network, a move that comes after a key Republican senator threatened to block his confirmation unless he agreed to the sit-down.
A Department of Justice official familiar with the plans told NewsNation that the meeting will take place at DOJ headquarters in Washington. The session follows intense scrutiny Blanche faced during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing this week.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday morning that he would withhold his support for Blanche's nomination until the acting attorney general met directly with Epstein survivors. Tillis made the ultimatum public during a floor speech, noting that Blanche had quickly agreed to arrange the meeting.
“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 said.
During Wednesday's confirmation hearing, Blanche told lawmakers he was limited in his ability to meet with victims without legal counsel present. Tillis acknowledged that restriction but made clear the meeting must happen before he would vote to advance Blanche's nomination out of committee.
“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 committee is expected to vote on Blanche's nomination at its next markup session in two weeks. Tillis's stance adds to the pressure on Blanche, who has also faced pointed questions from Democrats over the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case files.
The DOJ was required to release millions of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress last fall. But several survivors have complained that their personal information was not properly redacted in the public database, accusing the department of failing to protect victim privacy.
During his hearing, Blanche acknowledged the redaction failures. “We had dozens of lawyers on call 24/7,” he said. “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 meeting Thursday could prove pivotal for Blanche's confirmation prospects. As Tillis conditioned his vote on the meeting, Blanche's willingness to comply may help him secure the support he needs. However, other Republicans have also raised concerns, including Sen. John Cornyn, who has withheld support over a separate funding dispute.
The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for additional details about the meeting. Blanche's confirmation remains uncertain as he navigates demands from both parties while seeking to become the nation's top law enforcement officer.
