Official Defends Prison Transfer Decision
In a recent television interview, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the relocation of Ghislaine Maxwell to a minimum-security prison earlier this year. He stated that the Bureau of Prisons made this decision due to significant threats against Maxwell's safety.
"At the time that I met Miss Maxwell, there was a tremendous amount of scrutiny and publicity toward her, and the institution she was in, she was suffering numerous and numerous threats against her life," Blanche explained during the interview. He did not provide further details about these threats.
Transfer Details and Security Considerations
Maxwell was moved from a Florida prison to a Texas federal prison camp this summer. This transfer occurred shortly after her meeting with Blanche. The official noted that Maxwell "might be moved to another institution tomorrow if security requires it, and that's true of any federal inmate across this country."
This move is notable because Bureau of Prisons policy typically prohibits individuals with a "public safety factor" designation from being placed in minimum-security facilities. Maxwell was convicted in 2022 on child sex trafficking charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Legal Developments and Department Actions
Blanche also defended the Justice Department's decision to meet with Maxwell over two days in July. "Nobody ever talked to her. Nobody ever asked her questions about what she knew. So when she said she had something she wanted to say — notwithstanding the fact that she had been convicted — of course we went and talked to her," he stated.
He added: "Imagine if we didn't talk to her. Imagine she said: I have a story to tell and I would like to talk to the government and I said no. The same outrage would be directed at this department for not speaking with her."
Meanwhile, Maxwell has reportedly asked a federal court to vacate or correct her conviction and sentence, claiming new evidence shows she did not receive a fair trial. The Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal in October.
Blanche also addressed the Justice Department's handling of Epstein-related documents, defending the decision to redact files released recently while insisting the department remained compliant with legal requirements.
