New Mexico’s House of Representatives has accredited making a bipartisan particular committee to research the ranch that the late intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein owned within the state.
The measure, which handed Monday, directs the committee, known as the Truth Commission, to look into the “allegations of criminal activity” on the property — referred to as Zorro Ranch — and resolve whether or not different “legislative action” is required. The committee has the authority to “compel the attendance of witnesses” and to “issue subpoenas.”
“[T]he house of representatives is concerned that the failure to investigate the alleged criminal activity at Zorro ranch and the risk of potential consequences of that activity continue to affect the safety and welfare of the state and that continued legislative inaction threatens public confidence in state government,” the measure reads.
The measure passed with 62 votes, with no members in opposition. Eight lawmakers had been excused from voting.
The committee’s creation is the newest name for transparency and additional investigation within the aftermath of the US Department of Justice’s launch of a trove of Epstein files, which has despatched shockwaves throughout a number of industries after revelations of the late financier’s ties with prominent figures.
US Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico applauded the passage of the measure Tuesday, saying in a gathering with the measure’s co-sponsors, “New Mexico is acting where the federal government is failing to do so.”
“For many, many years, there were allegations of sexual assault and abuse that happened at Zorro Ranch here in New Mexico, which is one of multiple properties that Jeffrey Epstein held, and those crimes were never fully investigated — neither by local authorities nor the FBI,” mentioned Stansbury, a Democrat.
State Rep. Marianna Anaya, one of many invoice’s co-sponsors, instructed NCS it’s “a relief” that the measure handed, particularly in a bipartisan method, and added that the committee is ready to carry the state accountable.
“We really find that it’s our responsibility as current lawmakers to make sure that we not only investigate but that we hold people accountable — not just Jeffrey Epstein himself, but those who enabled him, as well as institutions that failed these survivors. So even if it means holding the state accountable, we think that it’s necessary,” the Democratic lawmaker mentioned.
Anaya, who was approached by one other co-sponsor in September about creating the fee, confused that the committee’s energy to subpoena might be “really critical.”
“So in addition to investigating the physicalities of the property itself, we are also partnering with our New Mexico Department of Justice to make sure that survivors can come forward, witnesses can come forward, in a way in which is taken seriously unlike years previous,” Anaya mentioned.
Before the committee is defunct on January 1, 2027, it should submit at least two reviews — one to state House management on or earlier than July 31 and one to all House members on or earlier than December 31, in accordance with the measure textual content.
Among the US Justice Department’s newest launch of thousands and thousands of pages of paperwork associated to Epstein is a 2019 email despatched to Eddy Aragon, the host of an area radio present, that alleged that “somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G.”
“Both died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex,” the e-mail claimed. The unverified allegations got here from somebody who claimed they had been a former worker at the ranch. The sender of the e-mail was redacted by the DOJ. It’s not clear that these allegations have been investigated by regulation enforcement.
According to the file, Aragon forwarded the e-mail 4 days later to a redacted e mail deal with.
Reached by NCS on Tuesday, Aragon mentioned he believes the e-mail was despatched to him by somebody who labored on the ranch however wouldn’t disclose who he thought that individual was. Aragon additionally mentioned he has tried to contact the e-mail deal with however that his messages bounced again.
The radio host added that he went to the native FBI workplace with the e-mail and forwarded it to an area FBI agent. Aragon mentioned since then, he hasn’t been contacted by regulation enforcement officers concerning the e-mail.
It was this e mail that prompted Stephanie Garcia Richard, New Mexico’s commissioner of public lands, to ship a letter final week to the state’s Department of Justice and the primary assistant US legal professional of New Mexico to research the claims.
Garcia Richard instructed NCS that Epstein’s ranch included state lands that had been leased. The hills behind the ranch, referred to within the 2019 e mail, are state land, she mentioned, including that to her information, the allegation has by no means been investigated.
“So knowing or thinking that no investigation had been done, I renewed my calls for investigation based on this particular allegation,” Garcia Richard mentioned. She added that she first supplied to cooperate with any investigation in 2019 — when she took workplace and the yr that Epstein was indicted on fees of intercourse trafficking and later died by suicide whereas awaiting trial — however “there has not been any investigation on the state land portions of the ranch, nor the private land portions of the ranch that I’m aware of.”
NCS has reached out to the FBI to ask whether or not it adopted up on the e-mail and investigated the allegation.
Garcia Richard shared with NCS that since her letter, she was contacted by the particular investigative workplace of the state DOJ for “background information” on state lands and her company’s processes and paperwork it launched in 2019.
“I’m very hopeful that they will move forward on something. I’m not sure what,” she mentioned.
Garcia Richard additionally instructed NCS that she is “very supportive” of the Truth Commission and that her company is “committed to granting access to state land, partnering with them in any way possible.”
The New Mexico Department of Justice final week requested US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a letter to share the unredacted 2019 e mail and all data associated to the id of the sender.
The state DOJ instructed NCS on Tuesday it has but to obtain a response to the letter.
“While we have not yet received a response to our letter sent last Friday, we are reviewing all appropriate avenues to investigate the allegations raised, as well as any additional ones that may emerge,” state DOJ spokesperson Chelsea Pitvorec mentioned. “We also continue to engage with Truth Commission leadership to ensure coordinated communication and meaningful participation in the ongoing fact-finding mission.”
NCS has reached out to the US Justice Department to ask whether or not it plans to adjust to the request and for added remark.
The ranch — which Epstein purchased in 1993, in accordance with the textual content of the House measure — was bought in 2023 by the household of Don Huffines, a former Texas state senator who’s operating to be the state’s comptroller.
Huffines mentioned on social media Monday that “proceeds from the sale benefited the victims” of Epstein and that the ranch is being rebuilt right into a Christian retreat.
Huffines added that whereas he has not been contacted by regulation enforcement officers, he’ll absolutely cooperate in the event that they do attain out.