DEMING – New Mexico’s Jeffrey Epstein Truth Commission has begun its work, with members tasked with investigating the state’s connections to the late financier and recommending reforms aimed at preventing future abuses and institutional failures.
According to a story in the Organ Mountain News, the four-member commission recently held its first meeting and will, in the coming months, launch a public-facing website, establish a live tip line, and produce an investigative report documenting its findings.
The state House of Representatives unanimously voted to form the House investigatory subcommittee. Commission Chair Rep. Andrea Romero, a Santa Fe Democrat, said the panel’s goal is to assemble a full picture of local and state law enforcement actions or inactions during Epstein’s time in New Mexico. Epstein was not required to register as a sex offender in the state, despite pleading guilty in Florida to soliciting a minor for sex. Romero said the commission has already heard from survivors who were abused at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Stanley in Santa Fe County, which was sold in 2023.
Epstein purchased the sprawling ranch in 1993 from former New Mexico Gov. Bruce King.
“This truth commission will finally fill in the gaps for what we need to know as the public, so we can learn from them and prevent these atrocities from ever taking place again in this state,” Romero said during a news conference ahead of the commission’s first meeting.
The commission will operate with a $2 million budget. Romero said efforts are underway to hire investigators, legal experts, and support staff, and that the group plans to coordinate with the New Mexico Department of Justice. Meetings will be held publicly on an as-needed basis, and documents will be posted to a public website when all four commissioners agree to their release.
The bipartisan commission includes Romero; Rep. William “Bill” Hall, an Aztec Republican and former FBI agent; Rep. Andrea Reeb, a Clovis Republican and former prosecutor of crimes against children; and Rep. Marianna Anaya, an Albuquerque Democrat and advocate for abuse survivors. Members said the equal partisan makeup is intended to keep the investigation focused on facts rather than politics.
“Keep the politics out of it,” Romero said. “This is really about getting the truth on the record, and we take that very seriously.”
A central question for the commission will be who knew about Epstein’s activities in New Mexico and when. Members said they will closely examine the role of local law enforcement during Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s time in the state.
Former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement that his office investigated activities at the Zorro Ranch before federal officials asked the state to pause its inquiry while a multi-jurisdictional federal prosecution moved forward. Balderas said his office shared evidence and interviews with federal authorities and urged the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue asset forfeiture of the ranch to compensate victims.
The commission’s work begins as the U.S. Department of Justice continues releasing documents related to Epstein through its public “Epstein Library.” Some leaders say the state’s effort fills a gap left by federal authorities.
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, who serves on a federal committee reviewing Epstein-related records, said New Mexico is taking action where the federal government has fallen short.
“It is a structured process through which survivors and witnesses can come forward,” Stansbury said. “This is about uncovering a full picture of what happened and why the justice system failed survivors in our state.”
Photo credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (2006 booking photo of Jeffrey Epstein).