House Oversight Chair James Comer says he still wants Attorney General Todd Blanche to testify as part of the panel’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation, suggesting that could happen as soon as this month.
“I’ve asked Blanche numerous times to come in. He indicated to me that he would after he got confirmed, and he’s been confirmed. And I again sent the note out to Blanche,” the Kentucky Republican told reporters Thursday.
Comer’s staff also recently reiterated the committee chair’s request that Blanche testify, according to one person granted anonymity to share details of the private outreach.
But Comer also sought to temper expectations now that House GOP leaders have announced the chamber will only be in session one more week in September before recessing until after the November elections.
While the committee has convened interviews and depositions in the past as part of its Epstein probe, it could be logistically more difficult to get members back to Washington who might be tied up with campaigning.
“I think everybody was waiting to see what the House calendar was,” Comer said of the delay in setting a date with Blanche.
Blanche, who was confirmed by the Senate in August, had signaled to Comer that he would appear before the committee once officially at the helm of the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment about if and when Blanche intended to follow through on that commitment.
The Oversight panel wants to hear more about Blanche’s handling of the release of the Epstein files when he was still serving as deputy attorney general. Pam Bondi, who preceded Blanche in the top DOJ job, told the Committee in her transcribed interview that Blanche was essentially responsible for the haphazard rollout of the materials, including botched redactions.
“Blanche supervised [the] entire process” to fulfill the requirements of the law Congress passed past year compelling the files’ release, Bondi said at the time.
Comer said he is also eager for Blanche to answer questions about pertinent documents that are still outstanding and why they have yet to be produced.
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