SANTA FE, N.M. – Rep. Andrea Romero, D-N.M., said she resigned from her part-time paid job with the First Judicial District after Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office changed its policy.
Romero, chair of the New Mexico Survivor Truth Commission, released a statement about the policy change and her resignation. The statement said the New Mexico Department of Justice changed its policy on Aug. 31 about paid part-time work while serving as an unpaid state representative.
“I’m clarifying confusion about my part-time paid role with the First Judicial District, which I have now resigned. AG Raul Torrez and the NM DOJ changed its policy on August 31st about paid part-time work while serving as an unpaid state representative. Prior to this, I sought and had received explicit authorization to be allowed to hold both positions, a fact the AG’s office was well-aware of,” Romero said.
Romero said she believes the change affects the commission’s work tied to survivors and Jeffrey Epstein.
“I am deeply disappointed in the recent change in policy set by Attorney General Raúl Torrez and his Department of Justice. I believe this is an attempt to disrupt the work of our Survivor Truth Commission that seeks justice for the many young people who were harmed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-collaborators in our state,” Romero said.
Romero also said she plans to continue leading the commission and said the policy could affect other lawmakers because New Mexico does not pay its legislators.
“Despite their best effort, my work as Chair of the Truth Commission will continue undeterred, and I remain committed to serving survivors and the public,” Romero said.
Republicans have raised ethics complaints about Romero’s position with the District Attorney’s office. Republican members of New Mexico’s Epstein truth commission are also raising questions after the first interim report left out a reference to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland’s 2014 flight on an Epstein-connected aircraft.
Romero has not responded to a request for an interview on that subject.
Romero’s full statement
Romero’s full statement sent to KOB is included here:
“I’m clarifying confusion about my part-time paid role with the First Judicial District, which I have now resigned. AG Raul Torrez and the NM DOJ changed its policy on August 31st about paid part-time work while serving as an unpaid state representative. Prior to this, I sought and had received explicit authorization to be allowed to hold both positions, a fact the AG’s office was well-aware of.
I am deeply disappointed in the recent change in policy set by Attorney General Raúl Torrez and his Department of Justice. I believe this is an attempt to disrupt the work of our Survivor Truth Commission that seeks justice for the many young people who were harmed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-collaborators in our state.
Despite their best effort, my work as Chair of the Truth Commission will continue undeterred, and I remain committed to serving survivors and the public.
Our New Mexico State Assembly is the only state legislature in the country that does not compensate its legislators. AG Torrez’s decision will impact other sitting lawmakers and force them to resign from current positions, impeding all our efforts to serve our community and constituents to the best of our abilities.
Serving as a legislator remains the greatest honor of my life, and no attempt to distract from our work will succeed.”
Representative Andrea Romero
The Attorney General’s Office responds
A spokesperson for Attorney General Raúl Torrez issues the following statement in response to Romero’s claims on Tuesday.
“Rather than moonlighting as a part-time prosecutor, Attorney General Torrez has spent the better part of twenty-years working as a real prosecutor and standing up for victims’ rights. That’s why he advocated to protect survivors of sexual assault from the abusive pre-trial witness interviews that traumatize hundreds of survivors each year – a bill that Representative Andrea Romero voted against.
We appreciate her frustration at losing her part-time job at the District Attorney’s Office, but we reject any insinuation that our recently released guidance on that issue was motivated by anything other than the law. We remain committed to supporting Epstein survivors through our ongoing criminal investigation and hope that Representative Romero’s newfound commitment to victims’ rights will be on full display in the upcoming legislative session, not just on social media.”
