‘We’re the pawns’: Epstein survivors say DOJ has failed them as Todd Blanche takes over

August 8, 2026

Liz Stein and other survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse are fighting against Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General, arguing he has shown insufficient commitment to expanding the Epstein investigation. Despite advocacy efforts including meeting with lawmakers and publicly testifying, the Senate confirmed Blanche in a narrow 50-49 vote, with only two Republican senators joining Democrats in opposition. The survivors had previously achieved passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which led to the release of hundreds of thousands of documents, though the releases have since stopped and the Department of Justice has been largely unresponsive to survivors' attempts to engage.

Who is affected

Liz Stein and approximately a dozen other survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse
Todd Blanche (confirmed as Attorney General)
Senators Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) - the only Republicans who voted against confirmation
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (North Carolina), John Cornyn (Texas), and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana)
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi (fired by President Trump)
Ghislaine Maxwell (Epstein associate currently imprisoned)
Young women and girls who were abused in Epstein's trafficking network

What action is being taken

Stein and fellow survivors are consistently urging senators to vote against Blanche's confirmation
Survivors are meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill
Survivors are conducting news interviews
Survivors are advocating publicly as a unified group
Survivors are walking the halls of Congress trying to meet with lawmakers
The survivors' strategy is to remain resolute in their mission and goals going forward

Why it matters

This case represents a fundamental issue of justice for survivors of sex trafficking perpetrated by some of the country's most powerful people. The survivors' difficulty in getting accountability despite public outrage and bipartisan anti-trafficking legislation reveals how political considerations can override justice concerns. The confirmation of Blanche despite survivors' objections and the DOJ's lack of responsiveness to their attempts to assist the investigation demonstrates how vulnerable survivors can become pawns in political processes. The case also highlights the broader problem of politicizing what should be a nonpartisan issue of protecting young women and girls from abuse, with potential implications for whether powerful perpetrators will ever be held accountable.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond Stein's general statement that survivors will "remain resolute in their mission and goals" and "will not back down."

Read full article from source: The 19th