Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are intensifying scrutiny on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche regarding his role in the 2025 transfer of convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell to a lower-security prison. The focus comes ahead of Blanche's confirmation hearings, scheduled for July.
In a letter sent Wednesday to Blanche and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) questioned why the Department of Justice and BOP have not responded to his 10-month-old request for information about who approved Maxwell's transfer. Whitehouse also requested details about a May 6 policy change that allows the attorney general to personally designate or redesignate a prisoner's place of imprisonment, potentially enabling Blanche to retain oversight of Maxwell's conditions.
Maxwell's Unusual Transfer
Maxwell, sentenced to 20 years in 2022 for child sex trafficking and other felonies related to Jeffrey Epstein, was moved to a minimum-security prison—a rare treatment for sex offenders. The transfer followed a one-on-one interview between Blanche and Maxwell, where she claimed President Donald Trump never acted inappropriately during his friendship with Epstein.
According to the New York Times, Blanche proposed the interview during a July 2025 White House crisis meeting aimed at countering backlash over the administration's failure to release Epstein-related files. The interview was intended as a public relations effort to exonerate Trump, whom Epstein called his "closest friend" for a decade. Maxwell's transfer occurred weeks later.
Whitehouse's Concerns
"Blanche should be prepared to explain his role in the curious transfer of Epstein-enabler Ghislaine Maxwell to a cushy prison camp, and in the bungled release of victims' private information and buried allegations against President Trump," Whitehouse said in a statement. "It would be a disaster for the rule of law if the Judiciary Committee promotes Blanche to Attorney General."
The White House previously claimed Maxwell received no preferential treatment, and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi denied knowledge of the transfer. BOP issued a statement on June 17 asserting that the transfer was based on security factors and that no political influence played a role. Whitehouse noted that if true, BOP should have no issue providing the requested information and explaining why the new policy allows the attorney general to override standard BOP designation criteria.
Blanche's Controversial Nomination
Blanche, who served as Trump's personal lawyer in criminal and civil cases, is already a controversial nominee due to his record of acting on Trump's extreme wishes. However, his connection to efforts protecting Trump from Epstein-related fallout, including Maxwell's transfer, poses the biggest threat to his confirmation. Confirmation hearings are scheduled for July 15.
