Senate Judiciary Democrats intensify opposition to Todd Blanche nomination

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Senate Democrats oppose Blanche nomination

Highlights

Senate Judiciary Democrats intensified opposition to Todd Blanche's Attorney General nomination after he declined to meet with 10 to 12 Jeffrey Epstein survivors on multiple requests.
Democratic witness Dani Bensky testified about failures to redact survivor identities, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding victim protection standards under Department of Justice leadership.
Former pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer claimed Blanche fired her in March 2025 for refusing to restore gun rights to Mel Gibson, raising questions about Blanche's clemency judgment and ethical standards.

Committee hearing centers on survivor treatment

As reported by Senate Committee on the Judiciary, citing the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Durbin delivered his opening statement before the committee's outside witness panel for Blanche's nomination as Attorney General and introduced Democratic witnesses Dani Bensky and Elizabeth Oyer.

Durbin says he asked Blanche at the prior day's hearing, and again earlier in his office, whether he would meet with 10 to 12 Jeffrey Epstein survivors who were present, and says Blanche declined. Durbin calls that response "incredible" and says he does not believe a single U.S. senator would vote for the nominee after meeting the survivors.

Bensky, whom Durbin identifies as a choreographer, dance educator and survivor of Epstein's abuse, is presented as a witness expected to describe how her name and graphic details of her abuse were released despite repeated efforts to have the Justice Department redact that information. Durbin thanks her for what he describes as her courage and says she remains determined to keep fighting for a safer world.

Pardon process and ethics draw scrutiny

Durbin also uses the hearing to widen his attack to Justice Department decision-making and standards for public service. He says public office is meant for serving the public, not personal enrichment, and criticizes what he describes as special treatment for the president, his family and their businesses in matters involving tax crimes.

Oyer, the second Democratic witness, served as the Justice Department's pardon attorney until March 2025, according to Durbin. He says she was fired by Blanche, then serving as deputy attorney general, after refusing to approve restoration of gun ownership rights for Mel Gibson, whom the statement describes as a convicted domestic abuser.

Durbin argues those issues speak to Blanche's judgment as he seeks confirmation to the top law enforcement role in the U.S. The hearing adds to the political and institutional scrutiny facing the nomination, with Democrats framing victim protection, clemency review and equal application of the law as central tests for the post.

Our earlier article examined how Republican support for Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. attorney general was being tested in the Senate Judiciary Committee amid questions about his handling of meeting requests from Jeffrey Epstein survivors. It highlighted how a pivotal committee vote was tied to whether Blanche would meet the victims after months of reported unanswered outreach, raising the stakes for the timing and prospects of his confirmation.

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