By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Morning, folks. It’s Wednesday. We’ve been somewhat hunkered down at the state Capitol as lawmakers meet between legislative sessions to wrangle over various issues. One prominent legislator, Democratic state Sen. Peter Wirth of Santa Fe, announced yesterday he won’t seek to serve as majority leader next year, and won’t run for reelection the year after that. We also have stories below on the latest with the Epstein truth commission, a dark money group from the recent primary election and the investigation into federal food benefits. Even more to read awaits at sourcenm.com. Thanks for being here with us.
New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) announced on Tuesday he won't seek the majority leader position again for next year's legislative session, and won't seek reelection in 2028. (Photo by Danielle Prokop/Source NM)
NM Senate Majority Wirth won’t seek leadership, re-election
New Mexico state Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) announced on Tuesday he won’t seek his leadership position — which he has held for 10 years — for next year’s legislative session, nor will he run for a sixth term in 2028. In a statement, Wirth said it was “the right moment” to pass the torch.
From left, Rachel Benavidez, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein; Sky Roberts, brother of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, also a victim of Epstein; and Amanda Roberts, the sister-in-law of Roberts Giuffre, comfort each other after testifying June 1, 2026, in front of a House truth-finding commission at the New Mexico State Capitol. (Photo by Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)
New Mexico’s Epstein ‘truth commission’ publishes subpoenas, with more on the way
The New Mexico commission investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s time in the state made its first batch of subpoenas public late last week. The commission is scheduled to hold a public meeting at noon on Thursday and announce more subpoenas, Source senior reporter Joshua Bowling writes.
New Chapter, New Mexico has spent more than $80,000 so far on mailers and other advertisements backing an array of Democratic candidates for New Mexico’s House of Representatives, including the three candidates above, but the group’s leaders and donors are unclear. (Screenshots from New Chapter, New Mexico ads)
NM ethics watchdog looks into dark money group that propped up state House Democratic candidates
The New Mexico State Ethics Commission voted this week to seek more information, through a lawsuit if necessary, from New Chapter, New Mexico, a political action committee that spent more than $400,000 during the June 2 Democratic primary election to help elect an array of candidates and did not disclose its donors. Source's Patrick Lohmann reports on the latest chapter for New Chapter.
These two New Mexico smoke shops each received more than $400,000 in 2025 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Payments, according to the Legislative Finance Committee. (Courtesy Legislative Finance Committee)
New study finds New Mexico underestimates, fails to investigate federal food assistance fraud
Source's Patrick Lohmann reports New Mexico legislative analysts tasked with assessing fraud among state recipients of federal food assistance reported Tuesday that the state’s low fraud rate may be misleading and stems from a failure to collect data and investigate fraud allegations.
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