On February 16, 2017, Sepulvado received a subpoena from federal prosecutors to testify about an interview he conducted with Ryan Bundy, one of the leaders of the group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. When Sepulvado was initially asked to voluntarily testify under the Obama Administration in 2016, the Justice Department did not issue a subpoena that would force him to comply.[13] But under the Trump Administration, one week after Attorney General Jeff Sessions was sworn in, Sessions personally approved a subpoena for Sepulvado, who subsequently filed a motion to fight the order in federal court. Sepulvado argued that complying with the court order would “chill future sources, even nonconfidential ones” for himself and other Oregon Public Broadcasting reporters.[14] On February 24, 2017, a federal judge ruled in Sepulvado's favor against the Justice Department and quashed the subpoena.[15]
On January 29, 2019, Sepulvado announced on Twitter that he was leaving journalism for good.[22] The next day, he told Politico that he had signed a deal with Turner Broadcasting to produce podcasts, and would be doing humanitarian work along the United States-Mexico border.[22]
It was announced on the California report on February 8, 2019, that Sepulvado had "moved on." It's unclear what led to his sudden departure.[23]
Personal life
Sepulvado is of Irish, Scottish, and Mexican descent. His great-great-grandfather was governor of the Mexican Republicdepartamento of California and secessionist Juan Bautista Alvarado.[24] Sepulvado grew up in Lemon Grove in eastern San Diego County, and spent his high school years in foster care. After dropping out of high school, Sepulvado traveled the United States, living in several cities. He attended Florida A&M University on a journalism scholarship.[25] Sepulvado has two children.[26] He is also a recovering drug addict who speaks openly about his experience treating addiction.[25]
