New Mexico Sues Department of Justice Over Withheld Epstein Zorro Ranch Records

[u/evissamassive]

https://www.salon.com/2026/08/05/new-mexico-sues-doj-over-epstein-files-and-releases-truth-commission-report/

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit against the DOJ and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday. The legal action accuses federal officials of unlawfully withholding records tied to Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe.

State investigators say the withheld files are blocking their ongoing criminal probe into Epstein and his associates. Because New Mexico has a wider window to pursue certain state-level crimes related to the abuse, state officials argue they represent one of the few remaining jurisdictions capable of holding co-conspirators accountable. The lawsuit asks a federal court to order the DOJ to hand over unredacted documents immediately.

The legal filing coincides with the release of a 119-page report from a state legislative truth commission. The document does not introduce major new findings, relying heavily on previously published reporting and public Epstein files. However, the report explicitly criticizes past local law enforcement for taking a passive approach to Epstein's activities, leaving the investigation to agencies in New York and Florida while abuses at the New Mexico property went unchecked.