Latest news with #Blanche
a day ago
- Politics
Democratic senators ask Blanche to commit that DOJ won't advocate for pardon or commutation for Maxwell
Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Monday morning seeking a public commitment that the DOJ will not advocate for a pardon or commutation for Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for her cooperation. The letter comes after Blanche met with Maxwell privately for nine hours over two days last week, and after ABC News first reported that Maxwell was granted limited immunity during her meetings with Blanche. In the letter, the senators call the "purpose and timing" of Blanche's meeting with Maxwell "perplexing." "It is highly unusual, if not unprecedented, for the Deputy Attorney General to conduct such an interview, rather than line prosecutors who are familiar with the details of the case and can more readily determine if the witness is lying. In light of troves of corroborating evidence collected through multiple investigations, a federal jury conviction, and Ms. Maxwell's history and willingness to lie under oath, as it relates to her dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, why would DOJ depart from long-standing precedent and now seek her cooperation?" Durbin and Whitehouse wrote. The letter is a follow up to a letter Durbin wrote earlier this month to Attorney General Pam Bondi inquiring about alleged discrepancies in Bondi's public comments about Epstein. Blanche's meeting, the senators allege, appears to be an effort to distract from Bondi's past comments. "It seems likely this meeting is another tactic to distract from DOJ's failure to fulfill Attorney General Bondi's commitment that the American people would see 'the full Epstein files,' especially in light of credible reports that FBI officials were told to 'flag' any Epstein files in which President Trump was mentioned and that Attorney General Bondi told the President that his name appeared in the files," the senators wrote. The lawmakers cite Maxwell's "documented record of lying and her desire to secure early release" as cause or concern that she "may provide false information or selectively withhold information in return for a pardon or sentence commutation." When asked Monday if he would rule out a pardon for Maxwell, Trump responded by saying he has the power to give her a pardon but that he has not been asked about it yet. 'Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody's approached me with it. Nobody's asked me about it,' Trump said. Trump told reporters on Friday that it was "inappropriate" to discuss a pardon then. In addition to commitments to not advocate for a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, the senators also asked Blanche to commit that the DOJ will provide transparency to the victims and survivors of Epstein and Maxwell with respect to decisions the department makes regarding Maxwell's appeal to the Supreme Court, which seeks to overturn her conviction. And they called for a release of the Epstein files. "Rather than engaging in this elaborate ruse, DOJ should simply release the Epstein files, as Attorney General Bondi promised to do," they write. The senators posed a list of questions to Blanche, seeking an explanation for why Blanche believes Maxwell would now be truthful and asking what information the department believes she has that was not learned during her prosecution.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Mystery box spotted with Ghislaine Maxwell entering prison
Ghislaine Maxwell was spotted returning to prison with a box of materials after she was grilled by Donald Trump's Department of Justice over her association with former lover Jeffrey Epstein. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche flew down to Florida to meet in person with the convicted child trafficking offender as the MAGA base demands answers on her knowledge of Epstein's crimes. The footage came out as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced he would question Maxwell again on Friday. 'Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time,' Blanche wrote on social media. Maxwell took the 'full day and asked a lot of questions,' Markus said. 'Miss Maxwell answered every single question. She never stopped. She never invoked a privilege. She never declined to answer. She answered all the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability.' Blanche (pictured) arrived at the federal courthouse around 9:00 a.m., and Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the building in Tallahassee. Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security prison in Tallahassee and is the only person serving time behind bars for Jeffrey Epstein's child crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that Blanche had requested an interview with Maxwell to ask Epstein's longtime girlfriend: 'What do you know?' Blanche, Bondi's No. 2 at the Justice Department, confirmed Tuesday the sit-down would take place 'in coming days.' It comes as Trump's DOJ remains embroiled in controversy for failing to put out the full Epstein-related files. MAGA supporters are demanding that Trump do more to get to the bottom of the Epstein files after the president campaigned on making information related to the convicted [expletive] public. It's unclear what Maxwell can reveal that isn't already public and the closed-door meeting is fueling skepticism over the handling of the Epstein files review. Maxwell is also on the books to testify before Congress on August 11. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) said the meeting is a way for the administration to 'secure a cover-up.' The Connecticut senator said that Blanche is conducting a 'secret meeting' in order to strike a 'secret deal giving her potentially a pardon for providing information favorable to Trump.' Maxwell has already made clear her intent to get her prison sentence absolved . Her lawyers asked the Supreme Court to take up her case, arguing the socialite should have never been charged because of a plea deal Epstein struck in 2008. 'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Bondi. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have her tell her side of the story. 'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,' Markus said. 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.' Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell's request to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lawyers claiming she should have never been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein. Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi and the FBI after a memo earlier this month concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein's death. MAGA supporters were particularly enraged that no new material was produced in the Epstein files review and that Trump's DOJ found no existence of a so-called 'client list' of high profile co-conspirators. The president even started calling the whole ordeal the 'Epstein hoax' and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies in an effort to divide Republicans. When that didn't work, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case . 'I've contacted her counsel,' Blanche said. 'I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.' Some Trump loyalists still aren't buying the latest attempt to recover from the failure that this month has caused a rift in MAGA world. Leading the opposition to Bondi's investigation has been conservative personality Laura Loomer, who has taken to calling the AG 'Blondi.' She said on Tuesday that the action seems like a way to 'cope' with the growing uprising within the Republican Party. 'Why wasn't this 'interview' with Ghislaine Maxwell done on day 1?' Loomer questioned on X. 'Shouldn't they have already done this?' she continued. 'Maybe there is a mix up in communication. But I just can't help but wonder whether or not this has already happened. And if not, why?' Attorney and political commentator Ron Filipkowski said if Maxwell's statements implicate Trump, nothing will come out – but that if it exonerates the president, her sentence will be reduced. 'The truth is in the files, not from Maxwell,' Filipkowski wrote. Blanche still insists that the July 6 joint memo from the DOJ and FBI regarding the Epstein files review 'remains accurate.' He says that the department's recent review did not uncover any new evidence that could bring charges against others potentially involved in the crimes. Blanche's statement on Tuesday morning acknowledges that no administration or DOJ has ever asked Maxwell to speak with them about the Epstein case. 'That changes now,' he insisted.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Epstein case: 'Ex-girlfriend' Ghislaine Maxwell interviewd by DOJ deputy; 'answered all the questions truthfully, honestly, says her lawyer
US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche held a meeting with convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell and her lawyer in Tallahassee, as pressure mounts on the justice department to disclose more about its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The meeting lasted several hours, with Blanche posing extensive questions and Maxwell responding to each of them, according to her lawyer David Oscar Markus. 'Productive day today with the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Ghislaine Maxwell,' he said, as quoted by CNN. 'She never invoked a privilege. She never declined to answer. She answered all the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability,' Markus added, though he declined to reveal the content of the conversation. Blanche later confirmed he would return tomorrow to continue the interview. 'The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time,' he posted on X. The meeting comes just weeks before Maxwell is due to testify before the US Congress under subpoena. The House Oversight Committee has ordered her to appear on 11 August, calling her testimony 'crucial' to understanding the federal government's failings in the Epstein case, including controversial plea deals and prosecution gaps. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Maxwell, a British socialite and former girlfriend of Epstein, is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2022 for grooming and trafficking underage girls in partnership with the disgraced financier. She has since filed an appeal. Blanche had earlier acknowledged that Maxwell was never before approached by federal investigators willing to hear her out. 'That changes now,' he said, signalling a shift in the justice department's posture under President Donald Trump's directive to release all 'credible evidence' related to Epstein's crimes. Her lawyer also said that past prosecutors had avoided direct talks and welcomed the administration's new approach. 'The truth should not be feared or ignored,' Markus said. 'We're grateful someone is finally listening.' Maxwell's possible testimony before Congress could mark a turning point in the saga, depending on whether she decides to fully cooperate. 'She's taking this one step at a time,' Markus said. 'If she chooses to testify before Congress, and not plead the Fifth, she will speak the truth—as she always said she would,' he added The renewed attention to Maxwell's case comes amid mounting scrutiny over the handling of Epstein-related investigations and growing calls for transparency. A federal judge in Florida last week refused to unseal grand jury records from the early 2000s, rejecting a request by the Trump administration to make them public. Meanwhile, political tensions continue to rise following a Wall Street Journal report highlighting past links between Trump and Epstein. The US president filed a defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and the newspaper.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump's DOJ to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell today
Advertisement Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is interviewing British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday. Multiple reports confirm that Blanche flew to Florida on Wednesday night to meet in-person with the convicted child sexual trafficking offender the next day. Blanche arrived at the federal courthouse around 9:00 a.m., and Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the building in Tallahassee. 'We're looking forward to a productive day,' Maxwell's appellate lawyer David Markus told ABC News. Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security prison in Tallahassee and is the only person serving time behind bars for Jeffrey Epstein 's child sexual crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that Blanche had requested an interview with Maxwell to ask Epstein's longtime girlfriend: 'What do you know?' Blanche, Bondi's No. 2 at the Justice Department, confirmed Tuesday the sit-down would take place 'in coming days.' It comes as Trump's DOJ remains embroiled in controversy for failing to put out the full Epstein-related files. MAGA supporters are demanding that Trump do more to get to the bottom of the Epstein files after the president campaigned on making information related to the convicted sexual offender public. It's unclear what Maxwell can reveal that isn't already public and the closed-door meeting is fueling skepticism over the handling of the Epstein files review. Maxwell is also on the books to testify before Congress on August 11. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) said the meeting is a way for the administration to 'secure a cover-up.' The Connecticut senator said that Blanche is conducting a 'secret meeting' in order to strike a 'secret deal giving her potentially a pardon for providing information favorable to Trump.' Maxwell has already made clear her intent to get her prison sentence absolved . Her lawyers asked the Supreme Court to take up her case, arguing the socialite should have never been charged because of a plea deal Epstein struck in 2008. 'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Bondi. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have her tell her side of the story. 'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,' Markus said. 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.' Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell's request to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lawyers claiming she should have never been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein. Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi and the FBI after a memo earlier this month concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein's death. MAGA supporters were particularly enraged that no new material was produced in the Epstein files review and that Trump's DOJ found no existence of a so-called 'client list' of high profile co-conspirators. The president even started calling the whole ordeal the 'Epstein hoax' and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies in an effort to divide Republicans. When that didn't work, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case. 'I've contacted her counsel,' Blanche said. 'I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.' Some Trump loyalists still aren't buying the latest attempt to recover from the failure that this month has caused a rift in MAGA world. Leading the opposition to Bondi's investigation has been conservative personality Laura Loomer, who has taken to calling the AG 'Blondi.' She said on Tuesday that the action seems like a way to 'cope' with the growing uprising within the Republican Party. 'Why wasn't this 'interview' with Ghislaine Maxwell done on day 1?' Loomer questioned on X. 'Shouldn't they have already done this?' she continued. 'Maybe there is a mix up in communication. But I just can't help but wonder whether or not this has already happened. And if not, why?' Attorney and political commentator Ron Filipkowski said if Maxwell's statements implicate Trump, nothing will come out – but that if it exonerates the president, her sentence will be reduced. 'The truth is in the files, not from Maxwell,' Filipkowski wrote. Blanche still insists that the July 6 joint memo from the DOJ and FBI regarding the Epstein files review 'remains accurate.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump's DOJ secretly meets with Ghislaine Maxwell in prison fueling accusations admin is 'securing a cover-up'
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is interviewing British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday. Multiple reports confirm that Blanche flew to Florida on Wednesday night to meet in-person with the convicted child sex trafficking offender the next day. Blanche arrived at the federal courthouse around 9:00 a.m., and Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the building in Tallahassee. 'We're looking forward to a productive day,' Maxwell's appellate lawyer David Markus told ABC News. Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security prison in Tallahassee and is the only person serving time behind bars for Jeffrey Epstein 's child sex crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that Blanche had requested an interview with Maxwell to ask Epstein's longtime girlfriend: 'What do you know?' Blanche, Bondi's No. 2 at the Justice Department, confirmed Tuesday the sit-down would take place 'in coming days.' It comes as Trump's DOJ remains embroiled in controversy for failing to put out the full Epstein-related files. MAGA supporters are demanding that Trump do more to get to the bottom of the Epstein files after the president campaigned on making information related to the convicted pedophile public. It's unclear what Maxwell can reveal that isn't already public and the closed-door meeting is fueling skepticism over the handling of the Epstein files review. Maxwell is also on the books to testify before Congress on August 11. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) said the meeting is a way for the administration to 'secure a cover-up.' The Connecticut senator said that Blanche is conducting a 'secret meeting' in order to strike a 'secret deal giving her potentially a pardon for providing information favorable to Trump.' Maxwell has already made clear her intent to get her prison sentence absolved. Her lawyers asked the Supreme Court to take up her case, arguing the socialite should have never been charged because of a plea deal Epstein struck in 2008. 'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Bondi. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have her tell her side of the story. 'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,' Markus said. 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.' Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell's request to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lawyers claiming she should have never been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein. Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi and the FBI after a memo earlier this month concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein's death. MAGA supporters were particularly enraged that no new material was produced in the Epstein files review and that Trump's DOJ found no existence of a so-called 'client list' of high profile co-conspirators. The president even started calling the whole ordeal the 'Epstein hoax' and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies in an effort to divide Republicans. When that didn't work, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case. 'I've contacted her counsel,' Blanche said. 'I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.' Some Trump loyalists still aren't buying the latest attempt to recover from the failure that this month has caused a rift in MAGA world. Leading the opposition to Bondi's investigation has been conservative personality Laura Loomer, who has taken to calling the AG 'Blondi.' She said on Tuesday that the action seems like a way to 'cope' with the growing uprising within the Republican Party. 'Why wasn't this 'interview' with Ghislaine Maxwell done on day 1?' Loomer questioned on X. 'Shouldn't they have already done this?' she continued. 'Maybe there is a mix up in communication. But I just can't help but wonder whether or not this has already happened. And if not, why?' Attorney and political commentator Ron Filipkowski said if Maxwell's statements implicate Trump, nothing will come out – but that if it exonerates the president, her sentence will be reduced. 'The truth is in the files, not from Maxwell,' Filipkowski wrote. Blanche still insists that the July 6 joint memo from the DOJ and FBI regarding the Epstein files review 'remains accurate.' He says that the department's recent review did not uncover any new evidence that could bring charges against others potentially involved in the crimes. Blanche's statement on Tuesday morning acknowledges that no administration or DOJ has ever asked Maxwell to speak with them about the Epstein case. 'That changes now,' he insisted.
