Performing Lawyer Common Todd Blanche met Thursday with a number of survivors of deceased convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein‘s crimes on the Justice Division.
After the assembly, Epstein survivor Annie Farmer stated in an announcement to ABC Information that she is “much more assured in urging senators to vote in opposition to his affirmation as the USA’ Lawyer Common.”
“I discovered him abrasive, condescending, and deliberately noncommittal to survivors — a marked distinction to his public testimony throughout his affirmation listening to,” stated Farmer, who testified for the federal government at Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison trial.
Performing Lawyer Common Todd Blanche talks with reporters after attending a gathering associated to survivors of convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photograph
She alleged that each Epstein and Maxwell touched her inappropriately at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch when she was 16.
Farmer stated Blanche “wouldn’t commit” to investigating why her sister Maria Farmer’s 1996 report into Epstein was ignored. That grievance to the FBI seems to be the primary recognized report back to federal regulation enforcement that Epstein was concerned in youngster sexual exploitation.
On this June 28, 2022, file photograph, Annie Farmer addresses the press outdoors the Federal Courthouse in decrease Manhattan in New York, after British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years years in jail for luring younger women to therapeutic massage rooms to be molested by Jeffrey Epstein.
Gabriele Holtermann/Press Affiliation by way of AP Pictures
Farmer stated that Blanche “refused to take accountability for errors made below his personal management” and refused to launch paperwork that will make clear the charging choices associated to Epstein. She added that Blanche’s rationalization for his assembly with Ghislaine Maxwell was “wholly dissatisfactory and contrived.”
“His evasiveness felt like a deliberate try to assert the Lawyer Common’s workplace is powerless on this matter. By passing the buck as soon as once more, he’s leaving survivors trapped in the identical countless loop of looking for solutions and receiving none,” she stated.
A spokesperson for Blanche stated in an announcement that the performing lawyer normal “answered questions and walked via what is required for investigations to proceed.”
“The Justice Division is set to deliver justice for all victims of human trafficking and intercourse crimes,” the spokesperson added.
Earlier within the day, Blanche commented on the assembly, saying he instructed them to take any data they need to federal investigators.
“I stated to them the identical factor that I’ve stated publicly — publicly, repeatedly, which is that I need, and everyone on the Division of Justice desires to prosecute anyone that we will for committing crimes in opposition to any of the Epstein victims,” Blanche stated. “So I inspired them, like I have been saying publicly, that if they’ve data, they need to they need to go to the FBI.”
Blanche added there was “essentially frustration” from the victims, however “there wasn’t any shouting.”
“It wasn’t all cordial, as a result of there’s one thing that they need that I do not assume I can provide them, which is a few type of justice,” Blanche stated. “And I need to have the ability to give justice within the type of prosecutions and possibly we might do a prosecution sooner or later. I do not know.”
Blanche stated he had FBI brokers be a part of within the assembly in addition to a prosecutor who makes a speciality of intercourse trafficking and human trafficking, and that some attorneys for the victims joined remotely.
Epstein survivor Dani Bensky (L) embraces Amanda Roberts after Bensky completed testifying on Capitol Hill throughout the affirmation listening to for Todd Blanche because the Lawyer Common in entrance of the Senate Judiciary Committee July 16, 2026 in Washington.
Win Mcnamee/Getty Pictures
Blanche referred to as the assembly “productive” and stated he largely spent the assembly listening to their issues.
Requested whether or not the survivors supplied him any new data, Blanche stated they did not, however he famous that he did not see that as the explanation for the assembly.
“The aim of the assembly was simply to pay attention. They weren’t ready for this assembly, nor was I,” Blanche stated. “However I did say to them to the extent they’d both new data or needed to speak about what they’ve talked about previously once more, so we will take a re-assessment or a 3rd look. I inspired them to try this.”
The assembly got here after a key GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, whose vote is required to safe Blanche’s affirmation as the subsequent lawyer normal, stated that he would require Blanche to sit down down with Epstein’s victims earlier than he can vote for him.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., introduced the brand new situation earlier Thursday throughout a listening to the place one of many witnesses was Epstein sufferer Dani Bensky.
Sen. Thom Tillis attends the affirmation listening to by the Senate Judiciary Committee for performing Lawyer Common Todd Blanche on Capitol Hill, July 15, 2026 in Washington.
Win McNamee/Getty Pictures
Going through a doubtlessly rocky affirmation, Blanche made a short try to fulfill with the survivors earlier Thursday.
He and his staff arrived at a Senate Judiciary Committee workplace the place they sat for about half an hour, however nobody joined them.
“I rearranged my schedule to attempt to meet with them,” Blanche instructed ABC Information after leaving the workplace. “I have been right here ready. It did not work out, so we’ll see if there is a approach we will meet both later at present or someday quickly.”
“There’s nothing newsworthy about this reality as a result of the Division of Justice will at all times meet with victims or their representatives, and if these victims or their representatives have proof that anyone dedicated against the law, whether or not it has to do with Jeffrey Epstein, anyone else that was related to Jeffrey Epstein, or anyone else, we are going to after all transfer ahead and examine and prosecute,” Blanche stated.
Bensky testified in Thursday’s listening to that Blanche has by no means responded to repeated makes an attempt to achieve him to sit down down and recount her story.
Performing US Lawyer Common Todd Blanche testifies throughout a Senate Judiciary Committee listening to on his nomination to be Lawyer Common, on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 15, 2026.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
“Blanche was prepared to say that he would meet with [Epstein victims] and counsel — I perceive the restriction that counsel needs to be current,” Tillis stated. “I anticipate that assembly to happen earlier than I vote to vote out of this committee and I am attempting to get to sure. However this can be a crucial a part of attending to sure.”
“There shouldn’t be any purpose why, based mostly on what Mr. Blanche stated yesterday, if he stated that he would do it at present, then he can actually do it over the subsequent two weeks,” Tillis added.
Blanche instructed lawmakers throughout his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he could be completely happy to fulfill with victims however initially stated he could not meet with them personally in the event that they had been represented by authorized counsel, earlier than correcting himself later within the listening to.
“I by no means stated I am unable to meet with them. I stated in the event that they had been represented, I needed to meet via counsel,” Blanche stated. “However after all, I can meet with them. I am the performing lawyer normal of the USA, so sure, I can.”
