NM sues DOJ, Blanche for allegedly blocking state Epstein investigation
New Mexico filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to challenge their obstruction of the state’s examination into Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County. The state, represented by attorney General Raul Torrez, claims that the DOJ and Blanche unlawfully blocked access to critical records needed to investigate possible crimes related to Epstein’s activities on the property. While the DOJ cited court orders protecting victim-identifying facts as reason for withholding certain documents, Torrez accuses the department of deliberately delaying their investigation and is seeking a court order to force the release of unredacted files. The investigation into Epstein’s Zorro Ranch was reopened by New Mexico in February, and the state has conducted at least one law enforcement search of the ranch. Despite assurances from federal investigators about cooperation, the state reports ongoing delays and lack of transparency, which Torrez says hampers justice for Epstein’s survivors.
New Mexico on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, stymying the state’s investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. Torrez alleges that Blanche and the Justice Department unlawfully blocked the state from investigating possible crimes at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County.
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“New Mexico has a duty to protect survivors and investigate crimes committed in our state so that perpetrators can be held accountable,” Torrez said. “We asked the Department of Justice to cooperate by providing access to records that may be critical to identifying victims, witnesses, and additional criminal conduct at Zorro Ranch. Their delay is actively hurting our criminal investigation and delaying justice Epstein survivors deserve.”
Epstein’s Zorro Ranch is mentioned multiple times in the Epstein files released by the DOJ, and the state reopened its investigation into the disgraced financier and his property in February. Since reopening the investigation in February, New Mexico has conducted the first law enforcement search of Zorro Ranch and argues that certain details, which are redacted in the files or have yet to be released, are needed from the DOJ to get to the bottom of what occurred on the property.
Torrez said federal investigators had asked the state to stand down in 2019 but promised to share relevant information when their investigation was complete.
“We have heard repeatedly they will cooperate and what our team has experienced is anything but cooperation,” Torrez said of the roughly 10 times his office has asked for more information from the DOJ.
The DOJ said it was refusing to hand over certain information due to federal court orders banning the disclosure of “victim-identifying information carte blanche, and New Mexico has provided no lawful basis to justify such sweeping disclosures.” The department added that it is willing to work with the state to assist in the investigation, as long as the investigation remains consistent with “binding court orders.”
Torrez, however, said the department is deliberately delaying the state investigation.
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“Todd Blanche today with a stroke of a pen could grant us the access that he claimed,” he said. “Instead they have decided to stonewall, to obstruct and to frankly conceal for whatever reason.”
New Mexico is asking a federal judge to declare the DOJ’s actions unlawful and order the department to hand over the unredacted Epstein files and related unreleased materials.
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