Todd Blanche Faces Scrutiny Over 2021 Maxwell Interview Before Attorney General Hearing
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Todd Blanche Faces Scrutiny Over 2021 Maxwell Interview Before Attorney General Hearing
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Summary
Wednesday’s confirmation hearing is set to focus on Todd Blanche’s personal role in the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case as he seeks to become attorney general.
Blanche is under criticism for overseeing the release of Epstein files and for personally interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell at a Florida courthouse, an unusual step for the department’s No. 2 official.
Victims and lawmakers say he mishandled the matter by exposing victim information and failing to obtain meaningful new details from Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021.
The interview drew added scrutiny because key investigators and prosecutors were absent, even though they could have told Blanche that Maxwell had already declined to speak at her 2021 trial.