Victims of the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein emerged from a long-awaited meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Thursday, with some describing the discussion as a meaningful first step while others dismissed it as a political exercise tied to Blanche’s Senate confirmation fight.

The meeting was the result of conditions set forth by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who said he would only advance Blanche’s nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee if he met with Epstein victims. Tillis’s backing is viewed as critical to getting Blanche’s confirmation over the finish line.