Updated

Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 17

Todd Blanche Meets Epstein Accusers for 1 Hour as 1 GOP Vote Could Sink Nomination

Updated

Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 17

Todd Blanche Meets Epstein Accusers for 1 Hour as 1 GOP Vote Could Sink Nomination

Q: What loophole could revive the supposedly dead $1.8 billion Justice Department fund?

The main loophole is that the fund’s legal foundation appears to remain intact even though Todd Blanche says it is “dead.” Senators’ concern is that the settlement agreement that created the $1.8 billion fund has not been formally rescinded, and Blanche has declined to state in court filings that the fund is permanently terminated. That matters because the agreement’s language reportedly still leaves room for future activation or modification by the parties. Critics argue that, on paper, the fund can still exist unless the Justice Department formally withdraws or voids the settlement terms. Cornyn’s concern is precisely that verbal assurances are not the same as a binding legal shutdown. The risk is heightened by Blanche’s refusal to put the fund’s demise in writing and by the department’s resistance to a more permanent court-ordered block. Judges have already signaled skepticism that public statements alone are enough to prevent the fund from resurfacing. There is also concern that, even if this specific fund does not move forward, similar payouts could be pursued through other legal channels, including existing federal claims mechanisms such as the Judgment Fund or the Federal Tort Claims Act. That is why senators are focused not just on Blanche’s testimony, but on whether the underlying settlement language is formally closed off.

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 17

An hourlong private meeting with Jeffrey Epstein accusers came only after Sen. Thom Tillis said he would oppose Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination until Blanche met with them.
11-10 is the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Republican edge after Lindsey Graham’s death, leaving Blanche little room for defections as Cornyn, Tillis and Kennedy pressed him on DOJ decisions.
At the hearing, Blanche defended DOJ’s handling of Epstein files, said redaction mistakes were fixed within minutes, and told reporters afterward victims should bring any new information to the FBI.
$1.8 billion remained another flashpoint: Blanche again said the abandoned anti-weaponization payout fund tied to Trump’s IRS lawsuit is dead, though he refused to put that assurance in writing.
The hearing also underscored broader concerns about Blanche’s independence from Trump, whose former personal lawyer avoided judging Jan. 6 pardons while saying DOJ is part of the executive branch.