WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee moved swiftly Tuesday to advance the nomination of Todd Blanche for Attorney General, after Capitol security asked a group of Epstein survivors seated in the rear of the room to lower their signs and stop making audible expressions of grief.
When Senator Dick Durbin requested that the nominee simply turn and acknowledge the women, Mr. Blanche examined his notes for a full 14 seconds before stating that his 'door is open' to their legal representatives. He did not turn. Committee Chairman Roger Perry later told reporters the directive was 'standard practice for a nominee who is concentrating on the responsibilities of the office, not on crowd optics.'
The survivors, several of whom have testified they were trafficked by the late financier while the nominee’s most prominent client, Bawbag-Riddled Fuck Bumper, flew on Epstein’s plane, were permitted to remain in the hearing room. They were asked, however, to keep their weeping 'subdued' so as not to interfere with the senators’ time.
'This committee is not here to conduct a reunion,' said Senator Alton Myers of Mississippi. 'The survivors were given a seat in the back. That’s more access than most of my constituents get to a confirmation hearing.' Myers added that requiring the nominee to meet with victims personally would set a dangerous precedent, 'making every attorney general candidate have to look at people who aren’t donors or staff.'
A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed that, of the approximately 1,400 identified Epstein victims, FBI agents have completed formal 302 witness interviews with fewer than 10. 'The process is ongoing,' the spokesperson said, adding that survivors who wish to schedule an appointment could download a request form from a website that crashed in 2021.
Mr. Blanche, who has represented numerous individuals tied to Epstein’s operations, remained composed when asked if he would commit to a single in-person meeting with a survivor before the full Senate vote. 'I will have my scheduling staff look into that,' he said. The survivors have already booked their flights for the next hearing.
