Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) peppered Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche with questions on Tuesday about his notorious interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, which came just before she was moved to another, more comfortable prison.

The tense back-and-forth came on Tuesday as Blanche faced the Senate Appropriations Committee, when Reed took his opportunity to ask Blanche about his 2025 sit-down with Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker and a longtime girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein.

When Reed implied that Maxwell was sent to cushier digs as a result of her interview with Blanche, the acting attorney general fired back, saying, “That’s just not true. She was not in a high-security prison. She was transferred from a low-security prison to a low-security prison.”

When Reed informed Blanche that Maxwell was given such amenities as pet therapy, her own room, and a private shower, Blanche was indignant.

“I should know that? Whether an inmate has access to her own shower?” he shot back at Reed.

Reed then asked why President Donald Trump sent Blanche to interview Maxwell, Blanche maintained that it wasn’t the case.

“He didn’t send me, I went,” Blanche said. “What do you mean? You think President Trump called and asked me to go interview a witness in federal prison?

“Yes, I do, frankly,” Reed retorted.

Reed continued: “Because you know why? Because the deal was in. He needed somebody he could rely upon to talk to her and find out what would she say if she was asked about Jeffrey Epstein, and you were the perfect choice. And you went down there and suddenly, shazam! She’s out of what is a more confining situation-… A much more relaxed federal prison.”

After a little more back-and-forth, Reed threw another jab at Blanche, “You’re a very gifted lawyer, but from my perspective, you have very low faith toward the Constitution and the people of America. And you’re the president’s consigliere.”

When Blanche said that Reed’s assessment was “wrong,” Reed added, “Well, I think the facts will prove me right.”

Read the confrontation below:

JACK REED: You had a opportunity to go down and talk to Ghislaine Maxwell. And then, few days later, she was transferred from a high-security prison to a very comfortable, a very comfortable-

TODD BLANCHE: That’s just not true. She was not in a high-security prison. She was transferred from a low-security prison to a low-security prison. I mean, you’re looking at me like- … That’s verifiable.

REED: Well, I don’t think at the other prison she had her own room, she had access to a private shower. She could have pet therapy. And-

BLANCHE: I don’t know if any of that is true. I’m not disagreeing with you-

REED: It is true, and you should know it, Mr. Attorney General-

BLANCHE: I should know that? Whether an inmate has access to her own shower?

REED: No, no. This is a person of extra special interest to the president of the United States. He’s known her. Why did he send you down to talk to her?

BLANCHE: He didn’t send me. I went. What do you mean? You think President Trump called and asked me to go interview a witness in federal prison?

REED: Yes, I do, frankly.

BLANCHE: Well,  I didn’t. I didn’t!

REED: Because you know why? Because the deal was in. He needed somebody he could rely upon to talk to her and find out what would she say if she was asked about Jeffrey Epstein, and you were the perfect choice. And you went down there and suddenly, shazam! She’s out of what is a more confining situation-… A much more relaxed federal prison.

BLANCHE: Every word that I asked her is recorded and available to you to review. If there’s criticisms of the questions that I asked her, go ahead and make ’em. But the president did not have anything to do with my choice to go interview Ms. Maxwell. If I wouldn’t have went and a courier would have went, you would have said, “Why didn’t you go yourself?” Just like you expect me to know whether she has access to her own shower.

REED: Everyone in the United States who reads the newspapers know that. I guess you don’t read things like that. You know, this whole hearing is exposing something which is, to me, I think is frightening:  You’re a very gifted lawyer, but from my perspective, you have very low faith toward the Constitution and the people of America. And you’re the president’s consigliere.

BLANCHE: Your perspective is completely wrong, Senator. Respectfully.

REED: Well, I think the facts will prove me right. Thank you.

Maxwell is currently serving 20 years for sex trafficking at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Bryan, Texas, where she was moved after the Blanche interview.

Watch above via C-SPAN 3.

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