Jacky Rosen

Mr. President, Claims · 13 wordstomorrow, the Judiciary Committee will vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General.¹ Positioning · 79 wordsThere are a number of reasons the members of the committee should oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination--from his willingness to enable Donald Trump’s worst instinct to his role in helping to create Trump’s corrupt slush fund to pay out to January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers here in this Chamber and others. Yet there is one reason that stands out far ahead of the others--that of his complete and total mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell case.Positioning Claims · 271 wordsFormer Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi told the House behind closed doors that Todd Blanche, ²as her Deputy, was responsible for how the Department handled the Epstein files. Under his supervision, the Department of Justice promised the release of Epstein’s client list, claiming there was a list they compiled for Pam Bondi and sent to Pam Bondi, only to backtrack and refuse to release the document for months. It took Congress passing an overwhelmingly bipartisan, veto-proof Federal law to force the release of these materials.³ Even then--even then--the Trump administration and specifically the Department of Justice, under Todd Blanche’s management, delayed their compliance with this law. When files were finally released, the identity of many perpetrators-- not victims--were redacted, raising serious questions and concerns about who the administration was trying to protect.⁴ They redacted perpetrators, not victims. As the White House and Justice Department tried to manage the fallout from mishandling this case, Todd Blanche was purportedly in the Situation Room with senior Trump administration officials working on a public relations strategy--well, on behalf of the President. According to the New York Times, one of the options was to have a Justice Department lawyer interview Ghislaine Maxwell in order to get her to clear Donald Trump.⁵ Well, Todd Blanche apparently offered himself up to interview Ghislaine Maxwell and strangely raised the possibility that Maxwell’s lawyer ``might expect something in return for her candor,’’ according to the Times.⁶Off point A convicted sex trafficker wishes something in return from the President of the United States. White House Counsel then laid out the possibility that Ghislaine Maxwell might be pardoned or have her sentence reduced. Procedure · 4 wordsYou heard that right.Procedure Claims · 60 wordsThere literally was a serious discussion at the White House to pardon or reduce the sentence of Ghislaine Maxwell just in order to get her to say nice things about Donald Trump. And mind you, this is the same woman--the same woman--who facilitated Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific abuse of underage girls over many years, year after year, hundreds of young women. Reasoning · 9 wordsOur justice system worked as it was supposed to. Claims · 51 wordsMaxwell was found guilty by a jury of her peers.⁷ She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her crimes.⁸ That is why it was odd when Todd Blanche, in a highly unusual step, personally interviewed Maxwell. And days later, she was-- whoop--magically, magically transferred to a minimum security prison.⁹ Aside · 2 wordsImagine that.Aside Procedure · 9 wordsThat is not the only thing that is odd.ProcedureOff point Claims · 42 wordsGhislaine Maxwell’s attorney, who Todd Blanche calls a friend, said that Maxwell wanted a pardon from Trump in exchange for her public testimony that would help Donald Trump.¹⁰ At the same time, Trump has refused to rule out--refused to rule out--pardoning her.¹¹ Procedure · 11 wordsTrump has said: He has even gone as far as saying: ProcedurePositioning · 4 wordsThis is our President.PositioningOff point Claims · 42 wordsThe President said he would speak to the DOJ, ¹²which would now be led by his former lawyer Todd Blanche.Off point It is frankly horrifying that Trump would entertain the idea of clemency for even a second--even a second--for a convicted sex trafficker. Reasoning · 29 wordsThat alone should be enough for the Senate to speak up with one voice and affirm that there should be absolutely no pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell--not now, not ever. Claims · 13 wordsThat is why, earlier this year, I introduced a resolution doing just that.¹³ Reasoning · 26 wordsBut given that Senate Republicans are poised to soon confirm Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice, the time to bring this resolution is now. Claims · 30 wordsEarlier this month, the Senate passed a similar resolution saying there should be no Presidential pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, ¹⁴so we have already set that precedent here in this Chamber. The ask · 27 wordsSo let us now send a message to the White House and the Department of Justice right now that there should be no pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. Positioning · 17 wordsThere should never be a pardon for someone who helped a monster--a monster--abuse underage girls for years.Positioning The ask · 16 wordsThat is why I am requesting that we pass my commonsense resolution today saying just that. Mr. President, The ask · 27 wordsnotwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 608.