UMVA has learned that a stunning revelation was made by former Attorney General Pam Bondi during a closed-door hearing before Congress late last month, shedding light on the handling of the highly sensitive Epstein files.
Bondi disclosed that Todd Blanche, who was second in command at the Justice Department at the time, was put in charge of releasing millions of documents from the Epstein files. She explicitly stated that she delegated oversight of the process to Blanche, who was tasked with briefing her on the release.
The House Oversight Committee released the transcript of Bondi's May 29 hearing, which took place just a day after President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Blanche as his permanent attorney general nominee. This development may complicate Blanche's confirmation, as senators from both sides of the aisle have heavily criticized the rollout of the Epstein files.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Blanche has been serving as Acting Attorney General since April 2, and his handling of the Epstein files, as well as the Justice Department's Anti-Weaponization Fund, has drawn concern from lawmakers on both sides.
Bondi's testimony revealed that Blanche was her point man on the Epstein files and oversaw the release of millions of documents, including the redaction process, determining which documents were privileged, and making corrections to redactions. She praised Blanche's management of the process, stating that he did an "excellent job" with a very low error rate.
The release of the transcript comes after criticism of the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files, including allegations that some redactions were heavy-handed and that some documents were completely missing. A bipartisan group of senators sent a letter requesting an investigation into the Justice Department's redaction process.
Despite the criticism, Bondi pushed back on allegations that she was pushing the blame for the Epstein files rollout on Blanche, stating that she praised his management of the process and considered him an excellent Attorney General.
A White House spokesperson defended Blanche, saying he was doing an "excellent job" and would continue to perform well. However, Blanche's nomination is expected to face scrutiny from Democrats who question whether he can serve as an independent attorney general.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Blanche's nomination will likely face intense questioning, particularly regarding his previous role as a personal lawyer to Trump and allegations that he disregarded ethics guidance.
