GOP Senator Lays Down Condition for 'Yes' on Blanche

If Todd Blanche wants to become the permanent attorney general, it looks like he will have to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein—and quickly. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said Thursday that he will not vote in favor of Blanche's confirmation until such a meeting occurs, reports Politico. "I'm trying to get to 'yes,' but this is a very important part of getting to 'yes,'" said Tillis. If even one Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee votes against Blanche, his nomination is sunk. The panel is expected to vote on July 30.

Blanche, currently acting attorney general, oversaw the release of Epstein-related documents with botched redactions that publicly identified some victims. He also conducted a controversial interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, which was followed by her transfer to a minimum-security prison. When Blanche testified before the panel on Wednesday, he said his Justice Department role barred him from meeting directly with victims, though he said they could meet with DOJ staff, per Axios. It was not clear how that apparent hurdle might be resolved, though one possibility is to have the victims accompanied by attorneys. Another Republican on the panel, John Cornyn, also is iffy about Blanche.