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Epstein survivor Jess Michaels said Friday that she left a meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche this week “disappointed, disturbed and undaunted.”
Blanche agreed to meet with survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein under pressure from Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.). The lawmaker holds a key vote in Blanche’s confirmation process to be the top U.S. law enforcement official.
“The way we were treated yesterday was no different than any other time,” Michaels told MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace. “We were hoping it would be something different, and it was not.”
The survivors are calling on the acting attorney general and the Justice Department (DOJ) to continue its investigative efforts related to Epstein’s crimes and release additional documents.
The DOJ has already released millions of files related to its probe into Epstein after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act last fall. Blanche said in February that the department’s review of these files was “over.”
The victims have also criticized the DOJ’s handling of this document rollout, accusing the department of failing to adequately protect victim privacy in its redaction process.
“I mean, I can’t even tell you how many times and how many different ways it was explained to Todd Blanche in that meeting the harm that was caused, and it was not acknowledged,” Michaels said Friday.
Additionally, the advocate called Blanche’s demeanor in this meeting “patronizing.”
“It felt very much like the attempt to appear empathetic, and it came off as condescending and patronizing,” she continued. “It did not come off as I am now applying to be the attorney general of the United States.”
Michaels urged Tillis to not vote in favor of Blanche’s nomination until he agrees to work with survivors on this investigation.
“Senator Tillis, that was not a meeting, and I am going to guess that you care about this issue very much … so I can only imagine that you are just as disappointed as we are because I’m sure you asked for that meeting because you want facts too,” she told Wallace.
“So please do not confirm that man to be attorney general of this country until we actually get to a place that is genuinely productive,” the survivor added.
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