Attorney General Todd Blanche 'Circling the Drain' as DOJ Faces Contempt for Failing to Produce Court-Ordered Epstein Files
Todd Blanche was confirmed as U.S. Attorney General in August.
Aug. 31 2026, Published 1:38 p.m. ET
Attorney General Todd Blanche could already be "circling the drain" weeks after he was confirmed, according to a lawyer, RadarOnline.com has learned.
On an episode of the Legal AF podcast that aired on Saturday, August 29, lawyer Michael Popok said the DOJ is "staring down the barrel, the business end of a federal judge" after "failing to produce" certain court-ordered Epstein Files documents.
Judge Orders Specific Epstein Files to Be Turned Over
Katie Phang accused the government of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Independent journalist Katie Phang filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department in April, accusing the government of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act by missing a key deadline and allegedly making improper redactions.
In June, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered Blanche to provide handwritten FBI notes that were connected to a woman who "claims she was victimized and sexually abused by Donald Trump when she was 13 years old," as well as a redaction log, according to Popok.
Judge 'Wants to Hold Them in Contempt'
Todd Blanche was previously Donald Trump's lawyer.
Popok went on to explain that the DOJ lawyers responded with a "ridiculous two-page filing," he called "a page and a half of gibberish unsupported by any affidavit or sworn statement."
Now, Popok has claimed that Sullivan "wants to hold them in contempt of court."
"I think Judge Sullivan's had it," he suggested. "Bring the contempt already. Bring the contempt. Order the production of the FBI notes by a date certain or people will be found in contempt of court. Start threatening jail. That's where we're at."
Judge Warns DOJ Lawyers
Todd Blanche took over as AG after Pam Bondi was fired.
This comes weeks after Sullivan warned DOJ lawyers that he would take action if they did not comply with the order to produce the files.
"The public has a right to know what the h--l is going on in this case. The victims have a right to know. The court has a right to know," the judge said at the time. "The law is still in full force and effect. The court is just ensuring compliance."
He then recalled a time he had to hold a group of attorneys in contempt, and implied he wouldn't hesitate to do the same with them.
"That’s not a threat. It’s a promise. No one’s in trouble. I’m just bringing it to your attention," the judge noted. "I'm just putting everyone on the same page. I’m just having a conversation."
Manhattan Judge Orders 'Volumes' of Documents Unsealed
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More documents related to Jeffrey Epstein could be released in the near future.
In a separate ruling, Manhattan Federal Court Judge Loretta Preska has also ordered the unsealing of "volumes" of documents allegedly containing evidence against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The files were from when Virginia Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation in 2015.
"Maxwell has lodged a veritable kitchen sink of objections to the government’s request to publish the sealed materials in compliance with the Act," Preska said at the time. "The court finds that all of Maxwell’s objections are meritless and that, in light of the Act, any remaining materials in the Government’s possession should become part of the public record, subject to any victim-protecting redactions authorized by the Act."
