Republicans feel more secure about getting Todd Blanche confirmed: Kaelan Deese
Washington Examiner · RC · trust 75/100
Washington Examiner Justice Department reporter Kaelan Deese said acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is getting closer to his confirmation after meeting with victims of the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein .
“Blanche was able to get this to happen,” Deese said Friday on Newsmax2’s First Edition .
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) praised Blanche for his efforts in a Thursday post on X .
“I commend Todd Blanche for doing what all his predecessors over the last two decades never did: meet with the victims of Jeffery Epstein’s horrific crimes,” Tillis said. “I appreciate his willingness to directly engage and listen to them.”
Earlier Thursday, Tillis said he would not support Blanche for attorney general unless the acting Justice Department head sat down with Epstein victims.
Deese said it seems like Tillis could be leaning toward an affirmative vote now that he applauded Blanche’s actions.
“I think really there is a chance that Tillis could give a ‘yes’ to Blanche in this case,” Deese said. “I mean, he already started to be sounding more softer on Blanche whenever he was giving his statements .”
Deese highlighted Blanche’s efforts to get a meeting put together “in such a short amount of time.”
Deese said there had been plans to meet with the victims on Wednesday, according to a Justice Department spokesperson, but a schedule change required the meeting to be pushed to Thursday.
Deese added that while Blanche said he would talk to the victims again and was able to “get this to happen,” some victims were dissatisfied with the meeting.
One woman, whose information was leaked during the release of the Epstein files, said it felt like “a mere ‘check-the-box’ exercise intended to secure votes for his confirmation.”
Another woman described Blanche as “abrasive, condescending, and intentionally noncommittal to survivors.”
Ultimately, Deese said, Blanche “was able to accomplish what Tillis wanted.”
President Donald Trump nominated Blanche for attorney general in June after he fired Pam Bondi. Blanche previously served as Trump’s personal attorney.
Trump’s nomination was sent to the Senate . The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to vote to advance his nomination.
“Right now, where we’re standing, I think Republicans are probably on more solid grounds of getting him across the finish line,” Deese said.
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