Jeffrey Epstein survivor Jess Michaels said she was “gaslit” during a recent meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the DOJ’s handling of files related to Epstein’s sex trafficking case.
Michaels told MS NOW’s Alex Witt on Saturday that Blanche repeatedly denied that anything in the Justice Department’s files could lead to further investigations, leaving her frustrated. “It felt like we were hitting a brick wall when we were trying to talk with him about — but what about this?” Michaels said. “But why can’t you look at that? You know, we were giving him information that he could have talked with us about, but we were gaslit. We were skipped over. It was frustrating, to say the least.”
The meeting occurred Thursday at DOJ headquarters after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina demanded that Blanche sit down with Epstein survivors before Tillis would vote to advance the nomination. Tillis said the meeting was “a very important part of getting to yes” on Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general.
Blanche spent about an hour with the group of accusers, who have criticized both the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation and the DOJ’s bungled release of millions of investigative documents. After the meeting, Blanche told reporters, “It wasn’t all cordial.” He acknowledged he couldn’t assure them additional prosecutions could be brought, saying, “Because there’s something that they want that I don’t think I can give them, which is some form of justice. And I want to be able to give justice in the form of prosecutions, and maybe we can do a prosecution at some point. I don’t know.”
Michaels said Blanche took the meeting “because he wants this promotion,” after initially telling lawmakers he couldn’t legally meet with survivors. She described his demeanor as patronizing and condescending. “I mean, I think his attempt at empathy and compassion really came off as patronizing and condescending,” Michaels told Witt. “So I did not feel that he was a public servant there addressing crime victims that had that experienced horrific abuse.”
Another survivor, Dani Bensky, expressed similar frustration in a statement released after the meeting. “Todd Blanche treated the meeting as a mere ‘check-the-box’ exercise intended to secure votes for his confirmation,” Bensky said. “He danced around his wording, repeatedly interrupted us and could not commit to anything that would demonstrate good faith or begin to restore trust.” Bensky, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, criticized Blanche for not adequately accounting for why the DOJ exposed victims’ identifying information and images in initial releases of Epstein files.
The DOJ’s handling of the Epstein documents has been a persistent source of controversy. Between December 2025 and March 2026, the department released hundreds of thousands of documents, photos, and videos tied to Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The rollout was beset by problems, including redaction errors that left exposed nude photos showing the faces of potential victims. Blanche acknowledged during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday that “there were mistakes that were made” in the process, though he noted that department lawyers were given a “herculean task” to quickly review millions of files. He said department officials “put tons of resources to rectifying those mistakes immediately, including pulling down documents within minutes of being informed that there were mistakes.”
Blanche’s confirmation hinges on securing Republican support on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Without Tillis’ support, the nomination won’t advance out of committee. Another Republican, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, has also expressed concern over the Epstein files handling and remains undecided on his vote. All 10 Democrats on the panel are expected to vote against Blanche, and a single Republican “no” vote would block the nomination from consideration by the full Senate. The death of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina last weekend left a Republican vacancy on the committee, narrowing Blanche’s margin for error.
Tillis indicated after the meeting that he appreciated Blanche’s participation, writing on social media, “I commend Todd Blanche for doing what all his predecessors over the last two decades never did: meet with the victims of … Epstein’s horrific crimes. I appreciate his willingness to directly engage and listen to them.” However, Tillis did not indicate whether he would ultimately vote to advance Blanche’s nomination.
Sources
- The Hill — Jess Michaels’ statement calling the meeting gaslighting, her quotes about Blanche’s conduct being patronizing and condescending
- CNBC — Dani Bensky’s statement calling the meeting a “check-the-box” exercise, Annie Farmer’s statement, details of survivors’ criticism
- PBS NewsHour — Details of the Thursday meeting at DOJ headquarters, Blanche’s quotes about the meeting not being cordial and inability to promise prosecutions, Bensky’s testimony and statement, background on the Epstein files release
- Politico — Thom Tillis’ demand that Blanche meet with survivors as condition for his vote
