Floor SpeechBipartisan2026-07-29

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON OR ANY FORM OF CLEMENCY FOR HER CRIMES WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN RELATING TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION...

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On 2026-07-29, Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) delivered a floor speech titled "EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON OR ANY FORM OF CLE" in the Senate.

Full Text

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 124 (Wednesday, July 29, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 124 (Wednesday, July 29, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4311-S4323] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON OR ANY FORM OF CLEMENCY FOR HER CRIMES WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN RELATING TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE OF MINORS Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, tomorrow, the Judiciary Committee will vote on Todd Blanche's nomination for Attorney General. There 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. Former Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi told the House behind closed doors that Todd Blanche, as 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. You heard that right. There 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. Our justice system worked as it was supposed to. Maxwell was found guilty by a jury of her peers. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her crimes. 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. Imagine that. That is not the only thing that is odd. Ghislaine 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. At the same time, Trump has refused to rule out--refused to rule out--pardoning her. Trump has said: I'm allowed to do it. He has even gone as far as saying: I'll take a look at it. I'll speak to the DOJ. This is our President. The President said he would speak to the DOJ, which would now be led by his former lawyer Todd Blanche. It is frankly horrifying that Trump would entertain the idea of clemency for even a second--even a second--for a convicted sex trafficker. That 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. That is why, earlier this year, I introduced a resolution doing just that. But 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. Earlier this month, the Senate passed a similar resolution saying there should be no Presidential pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, so we have already set that precedent here in this Chamber. So 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. There should never be a pardon for someone who helped a monster--a monster--abuse underage girls for years. That is why I am requesting that we pass my commonsense resolution today saying just that. Mr. President, notwithstanding 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. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 608) expressing the sense of the Senate that Ghislaine Maxwell should not be granted a Presidential pardon or any form of clemency for her crimes with Jeffrey Epstein relating to the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors. There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution. Ms. ROSEN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 608) was agreed to. The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in the Record of February 12, 2026, under ``Submitted Resolutions.'') The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada. Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I am so pleased that we could find unanimous agreement on a resolution against a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. If Republicans advance Todd Blanche's nomination tomorrow in the Judiciary Committee, this is the least they can do to make their opposition to a Maxwell pardon clear. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative senior proceeded to call the roll. Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Remembering Lindsey Graham Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to pay tribute to an outstanding U.S. Senator and a dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham. When my husband first woke me with the news that Lindsey had died the night before, I couldn't believe it. I said to him: That can't possibly be true. I thought it was some tasteless internet hoax or a false report. Not Lindsey. Not our Lindsey. But sadly, it was true, although I still find it so hard to accept. I can only imagine how difficult this unexpected loss must be for his beloved sister Darline and the other members of his family. Often when we think of a Senator, we ask: Did he or she make a difference? Did he or she have an impact on events here at home or abroad? Was the person a consequential Senator? With Lindsey, the answer clearly was the resounding yes. Lindsey was a leader not only in national policy but also in shaping international events. How telling it is that the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of Ukraine both made the long voyage to attend his memorial service yesterday at the National Cathedral. Whether he was leading a congressional trip to Israel in the wake of the [[Page S4312]] October 7 massacre to demonstrate America's solidarity with Israel or his many trips to Ukraine to show the Senate's unwavering opposition to Russia's unprovoked invasion, Lindsey time and again demonstrated strong, effective leadership. He was truly a player on the world stage. And for me, Lindsey was also a close friend. Along with Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, I traveled four times with Lindsey to Afghanistan and Iraq. Believe me, on those long military trips, you get to know your colleagues very well. Lindsey's unsurpassed sense of humor, his self-deprecating wit, and his storytelling ability made serving with him delightful, and I always learned so much when I traveled with him as well. I keep thinking that John McCain and Joe Lieberman--both treasured friends and colleagues of mine--were there waiting to greet what they called the third amigo when Lindsey Graham entered the heavenly gates, and I tried to take some comfort in knowing that the three of them are now reunited. Yesterday, we celebrated the life of this extraordinary Senator. Lindsey's life on Earth ended far too soon, but his legacy will endure forever. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Lummis). Without objection, it is so ordered. Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4744 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, 2 weeks ago, House Republicans failed to advance the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. That failure in the House was the latest example of broad bipartisan opposition to the Republican proposal to cut more than $50 billion--that is $50 billion--in be

Referenced legislation: HR1, SRES608, S4744, HR5334

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EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON OR ANY FORM OF CLEMENCY FOR HER CRIMES WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN RELATING TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION... Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 124 (Wednesday, July 29, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 124 (Wednesday, July 29, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4311-S4323] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON OR ANY FORM OF CLEMENCY FOR HER CRIMES WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN RELATING TO THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE OF MINORS Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, tomorrow, the Judiciary Committee will vote on Todd Blanche's nomination for Attorney General. There 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. Former Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi told the House behind closed doors that Todd Blanche, as 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. You heard that right. There 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. Our justice system worked as it was supposed to. Maxwell was found guilty by a jury of her peers. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her crimes. 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. Imagine that. That is not the only thing that is odd. Ghislaine 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. At the same time, Trump has refused to rule out--refused to rule out--pardoning her. Trump has said: I'm allowed to do it. He has even gone as far as saying: I'll take a look at it. I'll speak to the DOJ. This is our President. The President said he would speak to the DOJ, which would now be led by his former lawyer Todd Blanche. It is frankly horrifying that Trump would entertain the idea of clemency for even a second--even a second--for a convicted sex trafficker. That 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. That is why, earlier this year, I introduced a resolution doing just that. But 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. Earlier this month, the Senate passed a similar resolution saying there should be no Presidential pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, so we have already set that precedent here in this Chamber. So 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. There should never be a pardon for someone who helped a monster--a monster--abuse underage girls for years. That is why I am requesting that we pass my commonsense resolution today saying just that. Mr. President, notwithstanding 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. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title. The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows: A resolution (S. Res. 608) expressing the sense of the Senate that Ghislaine Maxwell should not be granted a Presidential pardon or any form of clemency for her crimes with Jeffrey Epstein relating to the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors. There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution. Ms. ROSEN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 608) was agreed to. The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in the Record of February 12, 2026, under ``Submitted Resolutions.'') The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada. Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I am so pleased that we could find unanimous agreement on a resolution against a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. If Republicans advance Todd Blanche's nomination tomorrow in the Judiciary Committee, this is the least they can do to make their opposition to a Maxwell pardon clear. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative senior proceeded to call the roll. Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Remembering Lindsey Graham Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to pay tribute to an outstanding U.S. Senator and a dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham. When my husband first woke me with the news that Lindsey had died the night before, I couldn't believe it. I said to him: That can't possibly be true. I thought it was some tasteless internet hoax or a false report. Not Lindsey. Not our Lindsey. But sadly, it was true, although I still find it so hard to accept. I can only imagine how difficult this unexpected loss must be for his beloved sister Darline and the other members of his family. Often when we think of a Senator, we ask: Did he or she make a difference? Did he or she have an impact on events here at home or abroad? Was the person a consequential Senator? With Lindsey, the answer clearly was the resounding yes. Lindsey was a leader not only in national policy but also in shaping international events. How telling it is that the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of Ukraine both made the long voyage to attend his memorial service yesterday at the National Cathedral. Whether he was leading a congressional trip to Israel in the wake of the [[Page S4312]] October 7 massacre to demonstrate America's solidarity with Israel or his many trips to Ukraine to show the Senate's unwavering opposition to Russia's unprovoked invasion, Lindsey time and again demonstrated strong, effective leadership. He was truly a player on the world stage. And for me, Lindsey was also a close friend. Along with Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, I traveled four times with Lindsey to Afghanistan and Iraq. Believe me, on those long military trips, you get to know your colleagues very well. Lindsey's unsurpassed sense of humor, his self-deprecating wit, and his storytelling ability made serving with him delightful, and I always learned so much when I traveled with him as well. I keep thinking that John McCain and Joe Lieberman--both treasured friends and colleagues of mine--were there waiting to greet what they called the third amigo when Lindsey Graham entered the heavenly gates, and I tried to take some comfort in knowing that the three of them are now reunited. Yesterday, we celebrated the life of this extraordinary Senator. Lindsey's life on Earth ended far too soon, but his legacy will endure forever. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Lummis). Without objection, it is so ordered. Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4744 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, 2 weeks ago, House Republicans failed to advance the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. That failure in the House was the latest example of broad bipartisan opposition to the Republican proposal to cut more than $50 billion--that is $50 billion--in be Referenced legislation: HR1, SRES608, S4744, HR5334