Haaland has telling response to news anchor’s simple Epstein question

Democrat gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland offered a revealing response when pressed by KOB 4 about her 2014 flight aboard a private plane arranged through Jeffrey Epstein, repeatedly distancing herself from the decision by emphasizing that it was then-gubernatorial candidate Gary King’s campaign — before telling the station moments later that governors themselves should ultimately be held accountable for what happens under their administration.

The exchange came during an in-depth interview with KOB’s Tessa Mentus, who asked Haaland why voters should view her presence aboard the Epstein-arranged charter as an “unfortunate coincidence” rather than a lapse in judgment by someone serving as King’s running mate.

“Right, so yes, I was a running mate with Gary King,” Haaland nervously responded. “It was Gary King’s campaign, and how would I know that?”

Mentus followed with a straightforward question: Did Haaland ever wonder how the campaign had obtained such a plane?

“No,” Haaland said.

She explained that the campaign had meetings scheduled in Washington, D.C., the following day and said there was not enough time to take a commercial flight.

“He said, we’re just going to hire this plane and fly to Washington, D.C.,” Haaland said.

Haaland then repeatedly stressed her reliance on King.

“I trusted my running mate,” she told Mentus. “It was his campaign. He was running the campaign, and I trusted him, so I don’t know what to say.”

Haaland said she did not learn that her name appeared on the flight manifest until the records became public this year.

“I had no idea,” she said when Mentus asked whether she only recently learned Epstein had played a role in arranging the charter.

The underlying flight has been documented through records released in the Epstein files. New Mexico Political Report reported in February that King, Haaland and campaign staff flew from Santa Fe to the Washington area on Sept. 8, 2014, aboard a private aircraft arranged through an Epstein-connected company. Campaign finance records showed King’s campaign paid $22,060 to charter company InJet. Emails reviewed by the outlet showed that a request had been made to Epstein to help secure transportation for King.

The aircraft was not Epstein’s personal plane, a distinction Haaland’s campaign has repeatedly emphasized. Her campaign has also said she never interacted with Epstein and was not informed of his role in arranging the charter.

KOB turns Haaland’s answer into accountability question

Mentus then pivoted from the 2014 campaign to the job Haaland is now seeking.

“As governor, you have to hire the right people around you and trust that they’re going to make the right decisions,” Mentus said, before asking who should ultimately be held responsible when problems emerge within agencies such as the Children, Youth and Families Department or Public Education Department.

Should voters blame department heads, Mentus asked, or the governor?

Haaland’s answer was immediate.

“No, you hold me accountable,” she said. “I’m the governor.”

The juxtaposition was striking.

Minutes earlier, Haaland had defended her lack of knowledge about the Epstein-linked flight by emphasizing that King was running the campaign and that she trusted him to make decisions.

Yet when asked how that same principle of delegated responsibility should work if she becomes governor, Haaland said responsibility ultimately stops with the person at the top.

Haaland is the Democrat nominee for governor in the Nov. 3 election, facing Republican Gregg Hull in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Haaland and King crossed paths again this year

Haaland’s effort to put distance between herself and King also comes after both were present at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s “La Noche Encantada” gala on Feb. 21.

When the Piñon Post previously asked Haaland’s campaign about her current relationship with her former running mate, spokeswoman Hannah Menchhoff said Haaland may have seen King at the event but maintained there had been “no ongoing correspondence” between the two. The gala itself took place Feb. 21 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The relationship has attracted renewed attention because newly released Epstein records have shown that King’s contacts with Epstein were more extensive than initially portrayed publicly.

Emails reviewed by New Mexico Political Report showed King had personally sought Epstein’s help with fundraising and transportation during the 2014 campaign. Additional records showed Epstein-linked companies contributed money to King’s campaign, even as attorneys working with Epstein discussed using corporate entities to avoid unwanted publicity surrounding the convicted sex offender’s contributions.

Haaland’s campaign has consistently maintained those interactions belonged to King, not Haaland.

There remains no evidence that Haaland personally communicated with Epstein or knew beforehand that he had arranged the September 2014 charter.

But Mentus’ questioning exposed a broader issue that goes beyond whether Haaland personally knew Epstein: how much responsibility a candidate bears for decisions made by the people running an operation on their behalf.

Haaland’s answer regarding 2014 was essentially that she trusted the person in charge.

Her answer about the governor’s office was considerably less ambiguous.

“You hold me accountable,” she said. “I’m the governor.”

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