New Mexico Sues DOJ and Todd Blanche Over Epstein Files in Zorro Ranch Probe
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has sued the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing federal officials of blocking the state’s criminal investigation into alleged crimes tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C. New Mexico is seeking unredacted investigative records that state officials say are needed to identify victims, witnesses, and possible accomplices connected to the ranch.
The case escalates a months-long dispute between New Mexico and federal prosecutors over access to Epstein files. According to the complaint and state officials, New Mexico repeatedly requested records after reopening its investigation into Zorro Ranch. The state says the federal government has withheld material needed to determine whether criminal charges can be pursued.
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DOJ has denied that it is unlawfully stonewalling the state. A department spokesperson told Reuters that New Mexico had not provided a lawful basis for the broad disclosures it wants. Axios reported that DOJ has also cited protective orders and victim privacy concerns as reasons it cannot simply turn over unredacted material.
The practical consequence is whether a state criminal investigation can obtain federal files that may contain names and evidence not publicly available. Torrez has said New Mexico has not filed charges because investigators need the records first.
The story is also drawing visible social attention through news outlet posts and New Mexico DOJ’s own social media, but available public snippets support only moderate reaction, not a verified mass backlash.
A federal judge will now decide whether DOJ must provide more of the requested Epstein material or whether federal privacy and court-order limits control what New Mexico can access.
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