• New Mexico lawmakers have initiated the first investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch.
• A bipartisan "truth commission" will interview victims and local residents about alleged abuses.
• The investigation was prompted by the release of more than three million Epstein-related documents.
• Previous attempts at federal investigation into the ranch were halted to avoid overlap.
• The investigation aims to hold accountable those complicit in Epstein's alleged criminal activities.

New Mexico lawmakers have unanimously passed legislation launching a comprehensive investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, marking the first such probe into allegations of trafficking and sexual abuse tied to the late financier. The legislation creates a bipartisan "truth commission," consisting of four lawmakers who will gather testimony from survivors and local residents regarding the events that transpired at the ranch, located approximately 30 miles south of Santa Fe, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The investigation has been framed as a necessary step to uncover the depth of Epstein's operations within New Mexico, particularly following the Justice Department's recent release of over three million documents pertaining to Epstein's alleged criminal activities. Legislators emphasize the intention to explore insufficiently investigated claims of abuse at the ranch, highlighted by State Representative Melanie Stansbury’s statement urging that previous crimes reported were never satisfactorily examined, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

The bipartisan commission will exercise subpoena power to gather evidence and testimonies, which potentially could lead to further legal actions against individuals who were complicit or aware of activities at the ranch. "Many of the survivors had experiences in New Mexico, and as we've learned, you know, there were local politicians and other people that were aware of what was happening in New Mexico," noted attorney Sigrid McCawley, which underscores the scandal's reach into local governance, according to Reuters and India Times.

Prior attempts to investigate the ranch were met with barriers, as former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas' inquiry into Epstein's activities in 2019 was stymied at the request of federal prosecutors to avoid a "parallel investigation." Current New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has committed resources towards this new inquiry, which aims to resolve gaps in accountability related to Epstein's actions. The commission is expected to deliver an interim report by July and a comprehensive final report by the end of the year, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.