Epstein survivor Dani Bensky criticizes Sen. John Cornyn for voting to advance Todd Blanche attorney general nomination

A survivor of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein criticized Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) after Cornyn voted to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, according to remarks made Tuesday that were reported by The Hill. Dani Bensky said she had hoped the Senate process would reflect accountability and that the outcome of Cornyn’s vote undermined that expectation.

Bensky made the comments on MS NOW, in an interview with Mychael Schnell, The Hill reported. She described a personal expectation that “somebody” in the process would choose to act differently, saying there is “always a glimmer of hope that somebody will do the right thing,” before adding that she found Cornyn’s vote “really depressing.”

The criticism centered on Cornyn’s decision to support moving Blanche’s nomination forward in the Senate. Blanche is a nominee for attorney general, the role responsible for overseeing the Justice Department, enforcing federal law, and setting legal priorities within the executive branch. By voting to advance a nomination, senators affect whether a nominee progresses toward later stages of Senate consideration.

Cornyn’s vote was described by Bensky as part of a broader pattern that she believes fails survivors and victims of Epstein abuse. The Hill’s report framed her reaction around how the Senate handles nominations involving figures tied to Epstein’s legal case. Bensky’s remarks were presented as emotional and personal, grounded in her account of being an Epstein victim and survivor.

The Hill reported that Bensky’s comments were prompted specifically by the Tuesday vote Cornyn cast to advance Blanche’s nomination. The report did not include a detailed breakdown of the procedural steps beyond the fact of Cornyn’s vote, nor did it provide the voting margin or committee tally in the information summarized.

If Blanche’s nomination continues to advance after the current Senate step, the process would next move through additional procedural requirements associated with Senate confirmation. Until then, the practical effect of Tuesday’s action is limited to whether the nomination can proceed to subsequent stages, rather than a final determination of Blanche’s fitness for the attorney general role.

The exchange also illustrates how nomination votes can become a focal point for victims and advocates who view the attorney general’s confirmation process as tied to enforcement, accountability, and the federal government’s credibility in addressing serious crimes. Bensky’s comments, as reported, were aimed at that credibility and the perceived message sent by senators who vote to advance nominees.