New Mexico Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against DOJ for Epstein Documents

WHO:

ABC News - New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is investigating Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes.

ABC News - The lawsuit names the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

WHAT:

ABC News - Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit seeking to force the Department of Justice to turn over unredacted Epstein files.

ABC News - The lawsuit claims the Department of Justice has been asked for the records ten times since the investigation launched earlier this year.

ABC News - The lawsuit requests a judge to declare the Department of Justice's refusal to turn over records unlawful and to compel the turnover of the records.

ABC News - Torrez's office is seeking "complete and unredacted access to the Epstein files."

ABC News - Zorro Ranch appears in the Epstein files about 13,000 times, but the Department of Justice only provided 31 pages of materials.

WHERE:

ABC News - The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C.

ABC News - The investigation is focused on Zorro Ranch, a property formerly owned by Jeffrey Epstein in New Mexico.

WHY:

ABC News - The lawsuit accuses the Department of Justice of "obstruction" and withholding critical information necessary for delivering justice to victims and survivors.

ABC News - Torrez argues that New Mexico's investigation into Zorro Ranch is the only active investigation in the United States into Epstein's associates.

HOW:

ABC News - The lawsuit cites the Administrative Procedure Act to argue that the withholding of materials is arbitrary and unlawful.

ABC News - The Department of Justice claims that the Epstein Files Transparency Act does not require them to turn over the materials and that doing so could risk victims' privacy.

(UPDATED August 5, 2026 22:15 UTC)

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is taking action against the Department of Justice, filing a lawsuit to compel the release of unredacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., accuses the Department of Justice of obstruction for failing to provide critical information, despite multiple requests for the records since the investigation began earlier this year. Torrez's office is seeking complete access to the Epstein files, which reportedly mention Zorro Ranch over 13,000 times, while the Department of Justice has only provided a mere 31 pages, citing concerns over victims' privacy.