New Mexico Launches First Full Investigation Into Epstein's Zorro Ranch
Key Takeaways
- ▶ New Mexico House unanimously passed legislation Tuesday creating a 'Truth Commission' to investigate Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch.
- ▶ State Rep. Andrea Romero called it the 'first full investigation' into alleged trafficking and abuse at the nearly 10,000-acre property.
- ▶ The commission will seek survivor testimony and publicly name suspected perpetrators, according to Romero.
- ▶ The ranch, located 30 miles south of Santa Fe, was purchased last year by the family of Texas GOP candidate Don Huffines for $13.4 million.
New Mexico lawmakers launched an investigation Tuesday into Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch over allegations the convicted sex offender trafficked and sexually abused girls and women at the nearly 10,000-acre property outside Santa Fe, Axios reported.1
The state House voted unanimously Monday to pass bipartisan legislation creating what sponsors call a “Truth Commission” focused on activities at the ranch, located some 30 miles south of the state capital.1
State Rep. Andrea Romero, a Democrat co-sponsoring the measure, told Axios in a phone interview that it is “critical” that the first full investigation into the ranch provides a platform to “uncover the truth” and allows survivors to see justice.1
Previous Handling of the Case
“It’s extremely important that lawmakers learn what happened at the ranch” after the case had for “many years” been “mishandled and pushed out of the purview,” Romero said.1
The Truth Commission will seek testimony from survivors who were at the property. Romero stated the committee would publicly name suspected perpetrators identified during the investigation.1
State Action as Federal Investigations Face Scrutiny
The New Mexico investigation comes as federal handling of Epstein files faces criticism. Attorney General Pam Bondi has defended the DOJ’s document release as complete, but lawmakers from both parties have challenged that claim.2
Rep. Nancy Mace accused the DOJ of withholding names in redacted files, while an independent analysis found that the Trump DOJ released only 2% of available Epstein files.3
Other governments have launched parallel efforts. France established a special team to review Epstein files for French nationals, and UK police created a national task force to investigate trafficking allegations.4
Ranch Ownership Drew Scrutiny
The Zorro Ranch property has attracted attention after Texas GOP candidate Don Huffines’ family purchased it for $13.4 million. Huffines, running for Texas comptroller, faced questions from state Republican officials about his family’s acquisition of the property where abuse allegedly occurred.
The New Mexico commission represents the first government body dedicated specifically to investigating what happened at the ranch, which had remained largely outside the scope of federal prosecutions that led to Epstein’s 2008 plea deal and 2019 indictment.1
The bill’s unanimous passage in the state House reflects bipartisan concern about unanswered questions surrounding the compound.
Nancy Mace
Pam Bondi