🔗 Share this article

A Democratic Party congressman has demanded the ex-royal Andrew Windsor to testify before the US House of Representatives investigative panel that is carrying out an inquiry into the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Bipartisan Pressure for Evidence

The statement from Congressman Khanna, a Democratic representative from California who is a member of the investigative House oversight committee, comes after a UK trade minister, Chris Bryant, indicated that since the former prince has been stripped of his royal titles, he should respond to requests for details about his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, an alleged sex trafficker who died by suicide while in government custody six years ago.

“Just as with any regular citizen, if there were formal requests from overseas of this kind, I would anticipate any decently minded person to comply with that request,” the minister said.

Khanna stated: “Andrew should be summoned to appear before the investigative committee. The people have a right to know who was abusing women and young girls alongside Epstein.”

Political Environment and Probe Developments

Republicans hold the majority in the House, but amid public outcry over former President Trump’s management of the Epstein case approved an inquiry by the House committee into how the authorities managed his legal proceedings. Public interest flared in July, after the Department of Justice announced that a much-rumored list of Epstein’s associates did not exist, and it would share nothing further on the case.

The House investigation has so far led to the release of thousands of documents – including an explicit sketch reportedly drawn by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday – as well as depositions from former top government officials.

Legislative Actions and Challenges

As a minority party member, Khanna lacks the authority to compel Mountbatten Windsor’s testimony. Spokespeople for the committee’s Republican chair, Chairman Comer, did not respond to questions about whether he thinks the former prince should be questioned.

The Democrat and Republican Congressman Massie have proposed legislation to force the release of files related to Epstein, but House Speaker Johnson, a key presidential supporter, has blocked a vote on it. The two congressmen have circulated a discharge petition that will force a vote on the bill, if a majority of representatives sign it.

“This is what my campaign with Congressman Massie has been about: transparency and justice for the victims who have been bravely sharing their stories,” Khanna said.

The appeal has been signed by all 213 House Democrats, as well as four Republicans. The final required signature is expected to be Representative-elect Grijalva, who was elected in the state of Arizona last month, and awaits inauguration by Johnson. However, the House leader has refused to do so until the House reconvenes, and has stated he won’t instruct lawmakers to return to Washington until the Senate passes a bill to end the ongoing government shutdown.