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<v Speaker 1>What's up, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the

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<v Speaker 1>Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're getting right back to

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<v Speaker 1>the New Mexico interim report on Jeffrey Epstein and his

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<v Speaker 1>behavior in crimes in New Mexico. Sdny's twenty eighteen nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>investigation into Epstein. In twenty eighteen, the FBI, SDNY and

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<v Speaker 1>the New York Police Department opened to child sexual exploitation

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<v Speaker 1>investigation of Epstein and others. This investigation culminated in an

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<v Speaker 1>indictment returned by a federal grand jury in New York City.

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<v Speaker 1>This indictment alleged that from at least two thousand and

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<v Speaker 1>two through at least two thousand and five, Jeffrey Epstein

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<v Speaker 1>enticed and recruited and caused to be enticed in recruited

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<v Speaker 1>dozens of minor girls to visit his mansions in New

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<v Speaker 1>York and his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, to engage

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<v Speaker 1>in sex acts with him, after which he would give

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<v Speaker 1>his victims hundreds of dollars in cash. In order to

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<v Speaker 1>maintain and increase the supply of victims, Epstein also paid

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<v Speaker 1>certain victims to recruit additional underage girls whom he could

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<v Speaker 1>similarly abuse. In this way, Epstein created a vast network

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<v Speaker 1>of underage victims for him to sexually exploit, often on

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<v Speaker 1>a daily basis, in locations including New York and Palm Beach.

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<v Speaker 1>The indictment does not allege conduct by Epstein occurring in

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<v Speaker 1>New Mexico. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking and three

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<v Speaker 1>minor victims in violation of US Code Section fifteen ninety one,

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<v Speaker 1>and conspiracy and violation of US Code eighteen, section three

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<v Speaker 1>seventy one. At this time, the Commission is unaware of

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<v Speaker 1>any information showing that a US attorney for the District

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<v Speaker 1>of New Mexico took any action with regard to Epstein

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<v Speaker 1>prior to US Attorney John Anderson doing so in twenty nineteen.

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<v Speaker 1>By letter dated May fourteenth, twenty nineteen, New Mexico oh

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<v Speaker 1>Deputy Attorney General Clara Moran reached out to US Attorney

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<v Speaker 1>John Anderson. She stated, it's my understanding that federal prosecutors

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<v Speaker 1>are seeking to identify victims who may have been trafficked

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<v Speaker 1>or sexually exploited by Jeffrey Epstein and others at his

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<v Speaker 1>ranch in Stanley, New Mexico. She advised that the Office

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<v Speaker 1>of the Attorney General has been actively engaged in an

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<v Speaker 1>ongoing investigation and review of the matter, which may also

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<v Speaker 1>include a referral of certain criminal matters within the exclusive

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<v Speaker 1>statutory authority of the federal government. She asked to arrange

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<v Speaker 1>a meeting to deconflict on sensitive law enforcement matters and

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<v Speaker 1>discuss possible strategies to streamline investigation and charging. John Anderson

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<v Speaker 1>responded by letter dated May seventeenth, twenty nineteen, stating that

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<v Speaker 1>his office certainly supports your investigation and a review of

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<v Speaker 1>these matters, and we are happy to receive any information

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<v Speaker 1>you may wish to share as a relation to offenses

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<v Speaker 1>over which this office may have exclusive jurisdiction. He advised

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<v Speaker 1>that at this time, however, we are not in a

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<v Speaker 1>position to share any information relating to these matters or

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<v Speaker 1>discuss any possible coordination. On August sixteenth, twenty nineteen, an

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<v Speaker 1>assistant US Attorney for the District of New Mexico reached

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<v Speaker 1>out to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District

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<v Speaker 1>of New York regarding New Mexico related Epstein matters. A

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<v Speaker 1>follow up email was sent again hoping to schedule a

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<v Speaker 1>follow up call with you concerning Epstein's New Mexico conduct

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<v Speaker 1>and property. Sometime this week. A call was set up

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<v Speaker 1>for September twelfth, twenty nineteen, and the US Attorney's Office

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<v Speaker 1>for the Southern District of New York advised we spoke

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<v Speaker 1>with the New Mexico AG's office back in twenty nineteen.

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<v Speaker 1>In essence, they agreed to seize any investigation into sex

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<v Speaker 1>trafficking and share whatever they have gathered to date regarding

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<v Speaker 1>sex trafficking activity with our office. We agreed that they

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<v Speaker 1>were free to proceed with whatever other investigation on related

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<v Speaker 1>to sex trafficking they may have concerning Epstein, and told

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<v Speaker 1>them that at the conclusion of our case, we'd passed

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<v Speaker 1>along any information we may have gathered about state crimes

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<v Speaker 1>that were committed in their jurisdiction. We have not communicated

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<v Speaker 1>with anyone from the New Mexico AG's office since that

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<v Speaker 1>conversation in twenty nineteen. On October eleventh, twenty nineteen, USAO

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<v Speaker 1>and m sent STNY and email stating, when we last spoke,

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<v Speaker 1>you expressed a willingness to review New Mexico specific questions

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<v Speaker 1>that we would like to be included in future interviews

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<v Speaker 1>of Epstein victims. While I'm certain that you already cover

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<v Speaker 1>the pertinent questions. We did not want to turn down

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<v Speaker 1>the invitation to submit a set of proposed questions, which

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<v Speaker 1>I have attached. As we mentioned on the phone, we

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<v Speaker 1>are here to assist with any investigation into New Mexico

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<v Speaker 1>related matters, including the submission of any application for a

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<v Speaker 1>search warrant. Attorney General Hector Baldaris wrote John Anderson on

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<v Speaker 1>October fifteenth, twenty nineteen. He pointed out that his office

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<v Speaker 1>has been actively investigating and assisting other state and federal

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<v Speaker 1>agencies with their investigation related to criminality perpetrated in New

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<v Speaker 1>Mexico by Jeffrey Epstein. He advised that they had been

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<v Speaker 1>in communication with Assistant United States Attorney for Southern District

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<v Speaker 1>of New York and have provided them with material supportive

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<v Speaker 1>of their federal investigation and allegations of misconduct by Epstein's

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<v Speaker 1>possible conspirators. He also requested that the US Attorney's office

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<v Speaker 1>explore initiating the process to seize Epstein's New Mexico land

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<v Speaker 1>holdings for the eventual benefit of survivors of these acts

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<v Speaker 1>and the people of the state of New Mexico. On

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<v Speaker 1>November nineteenth, twenty nineteen, the USAO n M again reached

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<v Speaker 1>out to the SDNY, seeking to set up a call

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<v Speaker 1>to discuss the reporting concerning Jane Doe fifteen, who had

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<v Speaker 1>reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Epstein on

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<v Speaker 1>Zoro Ranch. That designation in sdnwy's own numbering and does

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<v Speaker 1>not correspond to the commissions Jane Doe one through five.

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<v Speaker 1>On July fifteenth, twenty twenty, the USAO n M again

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<v Speaker 1>reached out to the SDNY. We were pleased to see

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<v Speaker 1>that conduct in New Mexico formed the basis of one

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<v Speaker 1>of your overt acts. I know that you all are

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<v Speaker 1>very busy, but if you have a moment for a

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<v Speaker 1>brief call to discuss the impact, if any, on the

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<v Speaker 1>new indictment on seizure forfeiture of Epstein's New Mexico property,

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<v Speaker 1>I would appreciate it. As you are aware this is

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<v Speaker 1>an issue, my US attorney, John Anderson has asked me

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<v Speaker 1>to track the District of New Mexico sought to arrange

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<v Speaker 1>follow up calls again on July twentieth, twenty twenty, May fourth,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty one, and May fifth, twenty twenty one. It's

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<v Speaker 1>not fully clear from the available documentaryation what exactly was

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<v Speaker 1>discussed during any calls. The usao NM explicitly offered to

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<v Speaker 1>assist SDNY with the search warrant application for Zoro Ranch.

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<v Speaker 1>No application was submitted, No search occurred until March tenth,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty six, nearly seven years later, and not by

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<v Speaker 1>federal but rather by state authorities. The Commission has been

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<v Speaker 1>unable to locate any documentation showing why SDNY did not

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<v Speaker 1>seek a search warrant at Zoro Ranch. Usao NM deferred

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<v Speaker 1>investigation of Epstein's SDNY. The Commission's investigation of usao m's

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<v Speaker 1>failure to investigate and prosecute Epstein and his co conspirators

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<v Speaker 1>for child sex trafficking has been significantly undermined by the

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<v Speaker 1>refusal of the U S Attorney's Office and other DOJ

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<v Speaker 1>components to fully comply with the commissioned subpoenas. By letter

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<v Speaker 1>dated June thirtieth, twenty twenty six, First Assistant US Attorney

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<v Speaker 1>Ryan Ellison partially responded to the commission subpoena and requests

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<v Speaker 1>for records under United States two Eve versus Reagan three

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<v Speaker 1>forty US four sixty two nineteen fifty one, producing thirty

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<v Speaker 1>one records and providing links to eighteen documents made available

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<v Speaker 1>under the EFTA. The redacted records provided did not fully

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<v Speaker 1>answer the Commission subpoena. The records included on November eighteenth,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty nineteen Albuquerque Journal article and August twenty first, twenty

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen press release issued by Bill Richardson in October fifteenth,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty nineteen letter from New Mexico Attorney General Hector Baldaris

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<v Speaker 1>to US Attorney John Anderson. On May fourteenth, twenty nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>letter from New Mexico Deputy Attorney General Clara Moran to

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<v Speaker 1>US Attorney John Anderson. May seventeenth, twenty nineteen letter from

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<v Speaker 1>John Anderson to Clara Moran, a redacted email chain dated

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<v Speaker 1>August twenty first, twenty nineteen, or adapted email chain between

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<v Speaker 1>the New Mexico Attorney General's Office and the US Attorney's Office,

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<v Speaker 1>and a number of corporate filings made by Cyprus Incorporated

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<v Speaker 1>in the US Virgin Islands. In his letter response to

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<v Speaker 1>the Commission subpoena and to a request, First Assistant US

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<v Speaker 1>Attorney Ryan Ellison explained, we have confirmed that the USAO

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<v Speaker 1>DNM did not lead or handle the investigation and therefore

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<v Speaker 1>neither collected nor retained any investigative material. Instead, the USAO

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<v Speaker 1>DNM was directed to refer the matter to USAO SDNY

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<v Speaker 1>for investigation. Our file is therefore limited, consisting mostly of

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<v Speaker 1>transmittal material and material collected from the public domain. The

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<v Speaker 1>USAO NM failed to fully respond to the commissioned subpoena

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<v Speaker 1>without additional documented understanding as to the office decision making.

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<v Speaker 1>It's unknown at this time why USAO M failed to

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<v Speaker 1>bring charges against Epstein stemming from his conduct in New Mexico.

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<v Speaker 1>New Mexico Attorney General Authorities and Investigation. The New Mexico

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<v Speaker 1>Attorney General serves as the state's chief legal and law

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<v Speaker 1>enforcement officer. Their primary power includes providing legal counsel to

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<v Speaker 1>state agencies, representing the state in civil and appellate cases,

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<v Speaker 1>enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws, and prosecuting complex white collar,

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<v Speaker 1>public corruption and medicaid fraud crimes. While local district attorneys

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<v Speaker 1>handle most local crime, the Attorney General has concurrent jurisdiction

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<v Speaker 1>over specific matters, including human trafficking, securities fraud, and governmental

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<v Speaker 1>conduct violation. They can also step in to prosecute if

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<v Speaker 1>a district attorney fails to act or is referred to

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<v Speaker 1>a case by the governor. Investigation of sex trafficking and

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<v Speaker 1>other crimes on Zoro Ranch would have been within the

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<v Speaker 1>ambit of the attorney general's authority. New Mexico Attorney General

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<v Speaker 1>Investigation of Epstein two thousand and seven through twenty twenty five.

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<v Speaker 1>There have been three successive New Mexico Attorney Generals, Gary King,

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<v Speaker 1>Hector Baldaris, and Ronald Torres since Epstein was convicted in

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<v Speaker 1>Florida for a felony solicitation of a minor. Gary King,

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<v Speaker 1>former Governor Bruce King's son, was Attorney General of New

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<v Speaker 1>Mexico from January first, two thousand and seven to January first,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty fifteen. According to media reports, King accepted thirty five thousand,

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<v Speaker 1>six hundred dollars in campaign donations from Epstein during his

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<v Speaker 1>twenty fourteen goubernatorial bid, which he said he later returned.

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<v Speaker 1>King also reached out to Epstein's staff to arrange a

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<v Speaker 1>round trip flight from Santa Fe to Washington, d C.

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<v Speaker 1>King admits to having met with Epstein at his request

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<v Speaker 1>for lunch. The Commission to date has discovered no evidence

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<v Speaker 1>that King took any action as Attorney general to an

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<v Speaker 1>investigate or prosecute Epstein. Balderis initiated an investigation of Epstein,

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<v Speaker 1>although it's not clear when the investigation was opened. One

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<v Speaker 1>account suggests the investigation was opened in May of twenty nineteen.

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<v Speaker 1>In any event, by July, Baldaras had the third further

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<v Speaker 1>investigation of Epstein and sex trafficking at Zoro Ranch at

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<v Speaker 1>the request of SDNY. The Commission has discovered no evidence

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<v Speaker 1>that Balderas reopened the investigation at any point between July

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<v Speaker 1>twenty nineteen and January first, twenty twenty three, when he

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<v Speaker 1>left office. According to the NMDJ, all investigative material were

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<v Speaker 1>forwarded to the SDNY. SDNY has refused to provide any

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<v Speaker 1>response to the commission subpoena. Moreover, the New Mexico Attorney

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<v Speaker 1>General's office did not retain a copy of the material

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<v Speaker 1>it's submitted to SDNY, or such material has been misplaced.

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<v Speaker 1>As noted below, it appears the Jorney general investigation involved

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<v Speaker 1>conduct occurring prior to two thousand and eight. May fourteenth,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty nineteen, the Truth Commission's earliest documented mention of an

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<v Speaker 1>investigation by the New Mexico Attorney General. Deputy Attorney General

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<v Speaker 1>Clara Moran's letter to John Anderson stated the Office of

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<v Speaker 1>the Attorney General has been actively engaged in an ongoing

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<v Speaker 1>investigation and a review of this matter, which may also

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<v Speaker 1>involve a referral of certain criminal matters within the exclusive

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<v Speaker 1>statutory authority of the federal government. All Right, folks, we're

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<v Speaker 1>going to wrap up right here, and in the next

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<v Speaker 1>episode dealing with the topic, we're going to pick up

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<v Speaker 1>where we left off. All the information that goes with

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<v Speaker 1>this episode can be found in the description box.