By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist
From Haaland campaign websiteBack on July 30, 2026 the NM Senate Republican Caucus called on the NM Epstein Survivors' Truth Commission to issue subpoenas to gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury. The Republicans wanted them to testify, under oath, about their knowledge of and connections to Jeffrey Epstein and individuals associated with his criminal network.
The bipartisan Truth Commission had pledged to "leave no stone unturned" and has already issued more than a dozen subpoenas to federal agencies, banks, and law enforcement as part of its investigation into Epstein's Zorro Ranch. However, they have not investigated the two NM Democrats.
Released Epstein files confirm that in 2014, Deb Haaland flew on a private jet chartered by Jeffrey Epstein while she was the Lieutenant Governor candidate on Gary King's ticket. Haaland's campaign has stated she had no relationship with Epstein and no knowledge of how the flight was arranged. Republicans want to hear that account directly from Haaland, under oath, rather than through campaign statements.
Separately, Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury may have previously been employed by a nonprofit organization with ties to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
In addition, it appears that both the Haaland and Stansbury campaigns have sought to discourage journalists from asking further questions about Epstein's network in New Mexico, and whether those same connections could affect the scope of the Commission's work.
Senator Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) said, "Subpoenaing federal agencies while giving a pass to two of the most powerful Democrats in New Mexico is not transparency. If Deb Haaland has nothing to hide, I'm sure she will have no issue publicly explaining what she was doing on Jeffrey Epstein's private jet."
The Truth Commission investigates Republicans, not Haaland and Stansbury.
The Truth Commission ignored the request for subpoenas for Haaland and Stansbury, but they did hire a PR firm to investigate Republicans. Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) found, after reviewing invoices, that a public relations firm was hired by the Truth Commission to conduct political opposition research on members of the New Mexico Legislature.
"I was appalled," said Armstrong. "Chair Romero had a taxpayer-funded PR firm running political opposition research on members of the Legislature, digging into our backgrounds and our associates, just before an important election. And she did it behind the backs of at least half her own Commission. This Commission was created to find the truth for the survivors and victims' Jeffrey Epstein left in his wake, not to build political files on her colleagues."
On October 2, 2026, Senator Sharer (R-Farmington) stated, "Haaland and Stansbury depositions must be made public, and must happen before Election Day." He was reacting to news that the legislative Epstein "Truth" Commission was moving to depose Haaland and Stansbury over their potential connections to Epstein. He demanded that the depositions be conducted publicly.
Sharer said, "New Mexicans deserve to know what two of this state's most powerful politicians knew about Jeffrey Epstein before they vote. This commission has subpoena power precisely so the public can finally get real answers. Burying these depositions behind closed doors, or letting them drag out past November 3rd, would defeat the entire purpose of calling it a so-called 'truth' commission in the first place. What are the connections between Haaland and Stansbury and one of the most notorious predators of our time?"
"No closed doors, no delays, no excuses," Sharer said. "New Mexicans have waited long enough for the truth. They shouldn't have to wait until after they've already voted to get it."
The Emerge Connection:
"Could the reason for the subpoena delay by Chair Romero be because all three women are graduates of Emerge NM?" asked one observer. Emerge is a political training organization whose purpose is to "increase the number of Democratic women and non-binary leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office through recruitment, training, and providing a powerful network." Haaland graduated in 2007, Stansbury in 2017, and Romero in 2018.*
Truth commission chair, Representative Andre Romero (D-Santa Fe.) intentionally suppressed any reference to Haaland's own Epstein-connected flight from the panel's interim report after the commission had agreed to include it.
So far No subpoena has been issued to Haaland and Stansbury, and early voting has started.
* Is Emerge Causing a "Man Problem" for the Democrat Party? (grantcountybeat.com)
