The Epstein files are the biggest challenge the Justice Department has faced since Trump’s return.

After public outcry, Congress ordered the Justice Department to release its trove of millions of files related to the investigation of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, the slow pace of publication and extensive redactions have drawn criticism from lawmakers and survivors.

Blanche faced probing questions from both sides about the Justice Department’s handling of the files.

About a dozen women, dressed in T-shirts showing images of the redacted files, attended the hearing to protest.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, the panel’s top Republican, questioned Blanche about “problematic redactions,” “insufficient efforts” to pursue investigative leads and “refusal to meet with victims,” ​​as well as questions about the transfer of Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, to a lower-security prison.

Blanche responded that redacting and publishing six million pages of files in a short period of time was a “Herculean task.”

“Mistakes were made, so approximately 1% of the redactions had to be corrected,” Blanche added. “We had dozens of lawyers on call.”

During one exchange, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal asked if Blanche would apologize to Epstein survivors for “the mishandling and mistakes.”

“I will say absolutely that any mistakes we made should not have been made,” Blanche said. “And I do a lot. I apologize a lot.”