{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-murray-call-out-blanche-for-failing-to-meet-with-epstein-survivors-press-him-to-make-good-on-his-commitment", "Van Hollen, Murray Call Out Blanche for Failing to Meet with Epstein Survivors, Press Him to Make Good on His Commitment", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "MD", "Chris Van Hollen", "V000128", "www.vanhollen.senate.gov", "vanhollen", "https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche to fulfill the commitment he made at the May 19, 2026, CJS Appropriations hearing to meet with Epstein survivors. The Senators\u2019 letter comes nearly two months after Acting AG Blanche committed to meet with the survivors in response to the Senators\u2019 questioning at the hearing and nearly seven months after the first tranche of Epstein files were released by DOJ in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Despite repeated attempts from the Senators\u2019 offices to facilitate a meeting, Blanche has still not done so.\n\nThe senators begin, \u201cAt the May 19, 2026, hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, we asked whether you would meet with Epstein survivors if we connected you with them. You responded, \u2018Absolutely.\u2019 It has been nearly two months since then, and even though we provided the Department of Justice (the Department) with the point of contact for the Epstein survivors\u2014and have followed up on this request multiple times\u2014the survivors have not received the promised outreach.\u201d\n\n\u201cRecently, reporting revealed that you were present at several meetings last summer in the White House Situation Room with the President\u2019s closest advisors, confirming that the White House and the Department have been more interested in minimizing damage to the President relating to his personal friendship with Jeffrey Epstein than providing transparency to survivors and holding accountable those who may be implicated in Epstein\u2019s crimes,\u201d they note.\n\n\u201cYour responsibility as Acting Attorney General is to pursue justice, not to shield the President. We therefore expect a response no later than July 28, 2026, confirming a date for the meeting with survivors you committed to hold,\u201d the senators conclude.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Acting Attorney General Blanche:\n\nAt the May 19, 2026, hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, we asked whether you would meet with Epstein survivors if we connected you with them. You responded, \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d\n\nIt has been nearly two months since then, and even though we provided the Department of Justice (the Department) with the point of contact for the Epstein survivors\u2014and have followed up on this request multiple times\u2014the survivors have not received the promised outreach. Additionally, our offices have not received any substantive responses from the Department indicating when the meeting will be scheduled.\n\nRecently, reporting revealed that you were present at several meetings last summer in the White House Situation Room with the President\u2019s closest advisors, confirming that the White House and the Department have been more interested in minimizing damage to the President relating to his personal friendship with Jeffrey Epstein than providing transparency to survivors and holding accountable those who may be implicated in Epstein\u2019s crimes.\n\nYour responsibility as Acting Attorney General is to pursue justice, not to shield the President. We therefore expect a response no later than July 28, 2026, confirming a date for the meeting with survivors you committed to hold.", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-murray-call-out-blanche-for-failing-to-meet-with-epstein-survivors-press-him-to-make-good-on-his-commitment"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8757409416139126, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}