New Mexico sues DOJ, Todd Blanche for blocking state probe

Key Points:

• New Mexico filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of blocking the state's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes at his New Mexico ranch.
• The lawsuit claims the Justice Department stonewalled information-sharing efforts by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, hindering the state's ability to hold Epstein's associates accountable and undermining justice for survivors.
• The suit seeks judicial intervention to compel the federal government to provide relevant materials to New Mexico investigators amid an ongoing state probe into Epstein's activities.
• Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for related crimes, with some abuse allegations linked to the New Mexico ranch.
• Epstein's New Mexico estate was sold in 2023 to a Texas family planning to operate a Christian retreat, and the Justice Department has begun releasing investigative records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.