🔗 Share this article

A Democratic congressman has publicly called for the ex-royal Andrew Windsor to testify before the US House of Representatives committee that is currently conducting an investigation into the official handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Bipartisan Demands for Evidence

The statement from Ro Khanna, a Democratic representative from California who is a member of the House oversight committee, follows a UK trade minister, Chris Bryant, suggested that since the former prince has been stripped of his royal status, he should respond to requests for details about his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, an alleged sex trafficker who took his own life while in federal custody six years ago.

“Just as with any ordinary member of the public, if there were formal requests from overseas of this kind, I would anticipate any reasonable individual to comply with that request,” Bryant said.

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

Partisan Environment and Investigation Progress

GOP members control the majority in the House of Representatives, but amid public outcry over Donald Trump’s handling of the Epstein matter authorized an investigation by the House committee into how the government handled his prosecutions. Interest in the case flared in July, after the justice department revealed that a widely speculated list of Epstein’s associates was non-existent, and it would provide no additional information on the case.

The House investigation has so far led to the publication of thousands of documents – including a lewd drawing reportedly drawn by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday – as well as sworn statements from ex-government leaders.

Legal Actions and Obstacles

As a member of the minority, the representative does not have the power to compel the former prince’s appearance. Spokespeople for the Republican committee chairman, James Comer, declined to comment about whether he believes the ex-royal should be interviewed.

Khanna and Thomas Massie have proposed legislation to force the release of files related to Epstein, but Mike 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 endorse it.

“This is what my campaign with Representative Massie has been about: transparency and justice for the survivors who have been courageously speaking out,” the lawmaker said.

The appeal has been signed by all 213 Democratic representatives, as well as four Republicans. The final required signature is expected to be Representative-elect Grijalva, who won a special election in the state of Arizona last month, and awaits swearing in by Johnson. However, the House leader has refused to do so until the House reconvenes, and says he will not tell representatives to come back to the capital until the Senate passes a measure to end the ongoing government shutdown.