Epstein survivor Jess Michaels says meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche left her “disappointed, disturbed and undaunted”

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein this week, according to a survivor who later described the encounter in blunt terms. Jess Michaels said Friday that she left the meeting “disappointed, disturbed and undaunted,” describing her reaction after the session with Blanche, who is serving in an acting capacity.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of Blanche’s Senate confirmation process, with Senate Republicans and Democrats split over whether he should be confirmed and under what terms. Michaels said the meeting was held after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) pressed for it.

According to The Hill, Tillis holds a key vote in Blanche’s confirmation process. The report framed the encounter with survivors as part of that larger sequence, in which Tillis has sought additional engagement with Epstein survivors and related stakeholders during the confirmation timeline.

Michaels’ comments were made publicly Friday. In her description of the meeting, she characterized the outcome using the three-word phrase she said captured her feelings: “disappointed, disturbed and undaunted.” She also said she remained “undaunted,” a characterization that indicates she did not back away from her concerns after the meeting, The Hill reported.

The episode also highlights how survivors and advocates continue to seek direct access to high-level Justice Department leadership amid ongoing debates about the department’s approach to sexual violence cases and related federal accountability issues. While Michaels described her reaction to the meeting, the report did not provide additional detail in the summary about what specific procedural commitments, legal changes, or institutional reforms were discussed during the session.

For Blanche’s part, the reporting indicates that his office agreed to meet with survivors amid pressure tied to Tillis’s role in the confirmation process. The Hill did not describe any publicly released written response from the Department of Justice in the summary provided, nor did it outline any formal next steps that were announced immediately after the meeting.

As Blanche’s confirmation proceeds, the confrontation between survivors’ expectations for Justice Department leadership and the Senate’s confirmation role is likely to remain part of the public record. Tillis’s involvement, and the fact that the meeting happened during the confirmation period, means the encounter may be cited as part of the broader debate over the acting attorney general’s path to a permanent role.

The Hill’s report did not specify whether the Department of Justice issued a contemporaneous statement about the meeting or whether any specific policy items were resolved. Any further details, including confirmation schedule updates or additional statements from senators or the nominee’s office, would be needed to move from survivor reaction to an account of concrete institutional actions.