New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Justice. The lawsuit accuses the agency of blocking the state’s investigation into the crimes connected to Jeffrey Epstein’s ranch near Santa Fe.
The legal challenge has drawn attention from various commenters, with many accusing the federal government of withholding information and questioning why New Mexico has struggled to obtain records.
The lawsuit in question was filed on the same day that New Mexico released a report that criticized federal prosecutors for failing to adequately investigate Epstein’s New Mexico property. It names Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing him of refusing to share key investigative materials with state prosecutors.
Attorney General Raul Torrez uses the term “stonewalled” concerning how the DOJ has allegedly been treating his office whenever they ask for records. The report argues that federal prosecutors focused a lot of attention on Epstein’s activities in New York, Florida, and the Virgin Islands, while the allegations connected to his New Mexico ranch haven’t received nearly as much.
According to an alleged report by the Department of Justice, the reason the information has not been revealed is that “victim-identifying information carte blanche, and New Mexico has provided no lawful basis to justify such sweeping disclosures.”
Torrez rejected that explanation, and in an interview with NBC News, said that the department was “hiding behind the Epstein survivors,” and that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche could authorize the release of that information easily. In fact, he specifically says, “with the stroke of a pen.”
Comments and Reactions to New Mexico’s Lawsuit Against the DOJ
The lawsuit quickly became the subject of discussion on Reddit, where commenters criticized the federal government’s handling of the case. One of the most upvoted reactions simply asked, “Can we pre-sue them for trampling the rights of the states by heavily suggesting that states have no rights and they plan to operate as such?”
Other commenters expressed frustration with what they thought was a lack of transparency surrounding the Epstein files. A different commenter wrote, “Perfect timing also getting his new job.” Similarly, another person wrote, “Well of course… they are protecting themselves.”
Several other comments speculated about the future of the investigation, and whether more information would eventually come to light. As the conversation continues to gain traction online, more and more users are weighing in on the state’s attempt to obtain the records it says are essential to its investigation.
