New Mexico Sues Justice Department Over Epstein Investigation

New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of "stonewalling" the state's criminal investigation into the activities of financier Jeffrey Epstein at his Zorro ranch. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., alleges that the Justice Department and Blanche have obstructed New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez's investigation by refusing to share requested information. Torrez stated that the federal government has faced "sustained resistance" to information-sharing, which had previously occurred between state and federal investigators. New Mexico's attorney general claims that the 31 documents provided by the Justice Department were largely unhelpful news clippings and heavily redacted pages. The state is seeking judicial intervention to force the federal government to turn over relevant materials to its investigators, aiming to hold Epstein's associates accountable and provide justice to survivors. Jeffrey Epstein purchased the sprawling estate in Stanley, New Mexico, in 1993. Some witness testimony in the trial of his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell alleged that Epstein and Maxwell had sexually abused women at the New Mexico ranch. The property was sold by Epstein's estate in 2023.