Leader Sharer: Haaland and Stansbury Depositions Must Be Public, and Must Happen Before Election Day
Santa Fe, NM — Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) reacted today to news that the legislative Epstein "Truth" Commission is moving to depose former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury over their potential connections to Jeffrey Epstein, demanding the depositions be conducted publicly and completed before Election Day in pursuit of transparency.
"New Mexicans deserve to know what two of this state's most powerful politicians knew about Jeffrey Epstein, and they deserve to know it before they vote, not after," Leader Sharer said. "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."
Leader Sharer said the demand for transparency is made more urgent by the commission's own controversial record under its chair, Representative Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe.)
"This commission has had a credibility problem from the start," Leader Sharer said, "especially after it was revealed that Chairwoman Romero intentionally suppressed any reference to Secretary Haaland's ownEpstein-connected flight from the panel's interim report after the commission had agreed to include it. Remember also that Rep. Romero took an illegal state job at the First Judicial District Attorney's Office, a job she appeared to be awarded in a 'pay to play' arrangement after personally sponsoring $100,000 in capital outlay funding for that very same office. If this commission is going to tell New Mexicans the truth about Epstein and his operations in our state, it needs to start by being truthful to the taxpayers funding it and holding its own Chair accountable for her alleged misdeeds."
Despite those concerns, Leader Sharer said Republicans interested in uncovering the truth welcome the depositions moving forward.
"Whatever problems this commission has had, we are hopeful that New Mexicans may finally get a chance to learn more about our state's most powerful politicians and any connections they may have had to one of the most notorious predators of our time," Leader Sharer said. "That's exactly why these depositions cannot happen in secret, and they cannot happen after votes are already cast. Voters deciding who runs this state and who represents us in Washington deserve the full truth first."
Leader Sharer called on the commission to commit immediately to opening the depositions to the public and completing them before November 3rd.
"No closed doors, no delays, no excuses," Leader 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."
