Border wall strategy in Borderland discussed in Epstein Files

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The phrase "El Paso" shows up hundreds of times in the Epstein files, along with other Borderland locations mentioned in the millions of pages of documents most recently released by the Department of Justice.

Most local mentions are fairly innocuous, such search results or news stories from the region.

But one document stands out - a conversation between Jeffery Epstein and right-wing activist Steve Bannon about the border wall.

Specifically, the series of messages talks about how construction on the privately-build section of border wall was started before a long holiday weekend in order to keep courts from issuing emergency injunctions to stop it.

As ABC-7 reported in 2019, the group "We Build The Wall" put up a section of wall between the Rio Grande and the foothills of Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park.

The messages, which were sent to and from an Epstein email account jeeitunes@gmail.com, discuss specifics of the strategy.

One message sent May 25, 2019 reads, "My wall dude-- New Mexico --right outside El Paso -- in total secret -- we go on fox and friends on Monday to release"

The other addresses are redacted, but a following message reads in response to why the sender wouldn't be there, "can't ; have kobach and kolfage on site -- I'm the chairman but I push those 2 plus the construction guy as national heroes -- we started memorial day Friday after the courts closed-- and will be done Monday @ noon"

Bannon had left a Trump administration position as chief strategist and senior counselor to the president in 2018 as was serving as chairman of "We Build The Wall" in 2019.

Brian Kolfage is the founder of the organization, and Kris Kobach is a Kansas politician who went on Fox that weekend to talk about the project.

Bannon, Kolfage and two others faced federal fraud charges in 2020 for misuse of funds from the project. 

Bannon was later pardoned by President Trump, but still was sentenced in state court to conditional release. The other three charged were not pardoned.

Of the almost 300 times "El Paso" shows up in search results, a number of the references are to phone calls or travel and transit plans through the region, including refueling stops at El Paso International Airport by Epstein or associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Some seem to reference a search for pilots or personal jets available in or near the Borderland. There are several references to legal services provided by attorneys visiting the region, and research into contacts and demographics in El Paso county.