New Mexico sues Justice Department over alleged Epstein file withholding

New Mexico’s Department of Justice lodged a 40-page complaint against the U.S. Justice Department, alleging that the federal agency has failed to honor multiple requests for files concerning convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The state seeks documents linked to Epstein, his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, the Zorro Ranch estate in New Mexico and any alleged accomplices. Attorney General Raúl Torres, who took over the probe earlier this year, says the requests have been ignored, while the Justice Department argues the demands are too broad and points to privacy concerns and active investigations as justification.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has asserted that the department is not pursuing any current investigations on the matter. The lawsuit also resurrects a long-standing contention that began in 2019 when former Attorney General Hector Balderas opened a state inquiry and was told the records would eventually be handed over, a promise he says was never fulfilled.