Tillis: Blanche meeting with Epstein victims 'a very important part of getting to yes'

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he would not vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general if he does not meet with Epstein survivors who have reached out to the Justice Department.

Tiillis said he has a “positive predisposition” to Blanche, the acting attorney general who sat for several hours of questions Wednesday during his confirmation hearing.

But in a second day hearing where Blanche was not present, Tillis said he wanted to see the acting AG meet with survivors, including with their lawyers if they have counsel, before he agrees to advance the nominee.

“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, noting the Senate Judiciary Committee would be voting on his nomination at their next mark up in two weeks.

“It seemed to me that Mr. Blanche was willing to say that he would meet with them and counsel, I understand the restriction that council 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.”

Speaking with reporters Thursday, Tillis said his goal was to make sure the meetings take place.

“Look, he’s got two weeks. He can get it done. He said he’d meet with them yesterday, so he’s got two weeks, and I think he wants to meet with them, genuinely does. I just want to create a forcing mechanism to make sure it happens,” he said.

Blanche had faced tough question from Democrats Wednesday about the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ten Epstein survivors were in the room, and Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) urged Blanche to meet with them.

The acting attorney general also faced doubts from another GOP member of the committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) who said he was not yet sure he would support him. Just one Republican no vote could halt the nomination.

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he would not vote to advance Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general if he does not meet with Epstein survivors who have reached out…

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he would not vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general if he does not meet with Epstein survivors who have reached out to the Justice Department.

Tiillis said he has a “positive predisposition” to Blanche, the acting attorney general who sat for several hours of questions Wednesday during his confirmation hearing.

But in a second day hearing where Blanche was not present, Tillis said he wanted to see the acting AG meet with survivors, including with their lawyers if they have counsel, before he agrees to advance the nominee.

“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, noting the Senate Judiciary Committee would be voting on his nomination at their next mark up in two weeks.

“It seemed to me that Mr. Blanche was willing to say that he would meet with them and counsel, I understand the restriction that council 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.”

Speaking with reporters Thursday, Tillis said his goal was to make sure the meetings take place.

“Look, he’s got two weeks. He can get it done. He said he’d meet with them yesterday, so he’s got two weeks, and I think he wants to meet with them, genuinely does. I just want to create a forcing mechanism to make sure it happens,” he said.

Blanche had faced tough question from Democrats Wednesday about the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ten Epstein survivors were in the room, and Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) urged Blanche to meet with them.

The acting attorney general also faced doubts from another GOP member of the committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) who said he was not yet sure he would support him. Just one Republican no vote could halt the nomination.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read the full story at The Hill ↗ · Axios ↗

Skip to content

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he would not vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general if he does not meet with Epstein survivors who have reached out to the Justice Department.

Tiillis said he has a “positive predisposition” to Blanche, the acting attorney general who sat for several hours of questions Wednesday during his confirmation hearing.

But in a second day hearing where Blanche was not present, Tillis said he wanted to see the acting AG meet with survivors, including with their lawyers if they have counsel, before he agrees to advance the nominee.

“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, noting the Senate Judiciary Committee would be voting on his nomination at their next mark up in two weeks.

“It seemed to me that Mr. Blanche was willing to say that he would meet with them and counsel, I understand the restriction that council 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.”

Speaking with reporters Thursday, Tillis said his goal was to make sure the meetings take place.

“Look, he’s got two weeks. He can get it done. He said he’d meet with them yesterday, so he’s got two weeks, and I think he wants to meet with them, genuinely does. I just want to create a forcing mechanism to make sure it happens,” he said.

Blanche had faced tough question from Democrats Wednesday about the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ten Epstein survivors were in the room, and Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) urged Blanche to meet with them.

The acting attorney general also faced doubts from another GOP member of the committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) who said he was not yet sure he would support him. Just one Republican no vote could halt the nomination.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read the full story at The Hill ↗ · Axios ↗

This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.

• Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he would not vote to advance Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general if he does not meet with Epstein survivors who have reached out…