DoJ appears to ignore New Mexico deadline for key Epstein ranch files

Key Points:

• New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez set a July 31 deadline for the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to provide unredacted files related to abuse at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro ranch but received only 31 heavily redacted pages, mostly old news clippings.
• Torrez reopened a criminal investigation into Epstein’s activities at the remote New Mexico ranch after previously dormant inquiries, but federal prosecutors, including the Southern District of New York (SDNY), have largely refused to cooperate or share documents.
• Despite promises from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and former SDNY US Attorney Jay Clayton to cooperate, Torrez says communication has stalled, and he has threatened legal action to obtain the records necessary for the investigation.
• The DoJ and SDNY cite protective orders and victim privacy as reasons for redactions, but Torrez criticizes the department for stonewalling and hindering efforts to identify co-conspirators, witnesses, and new leads.
• The Zorro ranch investigation remains complicated by federal-state tensions, with Torrez accusing the federal government of prioritizing communication management over accountability and justice for Epstein’s survivors.