US lawmakers call on UK’s ex-prince Andrew to testify over Epstein ties

United States lawmakers person written to Andrew, Britain’s disgraced erstwhile prince, requesting that helium beryllium for a ceremonial interrogation astir his relationship with convicted enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein, a time aft King Charles III formally stripped his younger member of his royal titles.

Separately, a secluded godforsaken ranch wherever Epstein erstwhile entertained guests is coming nether renewed scrutiny successful the US authorities of New Mexico, with 2 authorities legislators proposing a “truth commission” to uncover the afloat grade of the financier’s crimes there.

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On Thursday, 16 Democratic Party members of Congress signed a missive addressed to “Mr Mountbatten Windsor”, arsenic Andrew is present known, to enactment successful a “transcribed interview” with the US House of Representatives oversight committee’s probe into Epstein.

“The committee is seeking to uncover the identities of Mr Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers and to recognize the afloat grade of his transgression operations,” the missive read.

“Well-documented allegations against you, on with your longstanding relationship with Mr Epstein, bespeak that you whitethorn person cognition of his activities applicable to our investigation,” it added.

The missive asked Andrew to respond by November 20.

The US Congress has nary powerfulness to compel grounds from foreigners, making it improbable Andrew volition springiness evidence.

The missive volition beryllium different unwelcome improvement for the disgraced erstwhile prince aft a turbulent fewer weeks.

On October 30, Buckingham Palace said King Charles had “initiated a ceremonial process” to revoke Andrew’s royal presumption aft weeks of unit to enactment implicit his narration with Epstein – who took his ain beingness successful situation successful 2019 portion facing enactment trafficking charges.

The uncommon determination to portion a British prince oregon princess of their rubric – past taken successful 1919 aft Prince Ernest Augustus sided with Germany during World War I – besides meant that Andrew was evicted from his lavish Royal Lodge mansion successful Windsor and moved into “private accommodation”.

King Charles formally made the changes with an announcement published connected Wednesday successful The Gazette – the United Kingdom’s authoritative nationalist grounds – saying Andrew “shall nary longer beryllium entitled to clasp and bask the style, rubric oregon property of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince'”.

Andrew surrendered his usage of the title Duke of York earlier successful October pursuing caller maltreatment allegations from his accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, successful her posthumous memoir, which deed shelves past month.

The Democrat lawmakers referenced Giuffre’s memoir successful their letter, specifically claims that she feared “retaliation if she made allegations against” Andrew, and that helium had asked his idiosyncratic extortion serviceman to “dig up dirt” connected his accuser for a smear run successful 2011.

“This fearfulness of retaliation has been a persistent obstacle to galore of those who were victimised successful their combat for justice,” the missive said. “In summation to Mr. Epstein’s crimes, we are investigating immoderate specified efforts to silence, intimidate, oregon endanger victims.”

Giuffre, who alleges that Epstein trafficked her to person enactment with Andrew connected 3 occasions, doubly erstwhile she was conscionable 17, took her ain life successful Australia successful April.

In 2022, Andrew paid Giuffre a multimillion-pound colony to resoluteness a civilian suit she had levelled against him. Andrew denied the allegations, and helium has not been charged with immoderate crime.

Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch arsenic seen connected July 8, 2019 [KRQE via AP Photo]

On Thursday, Democratic lawmakers besides turned the spotlight connected Zorro Ranch, proposing to the House of Representatives’ Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee that a committee beryllium created to analyse alleged crimes against young girls astatine the New Mexico property, which Epstein purchased successful 1993.

State Representative Andrea Romero said respective survivors of Epstein’s maltreatment person signalled that enactment trafficking enactment extended to the secluded godforsaken ranch with a hilltop mansion and backstage runway successful Stanley, astir 56 kilometres (35 miles) southbound of the authorities capital, Santa Fe.

“This committee volition specifically question the information astir what officials knew, however crimes were unreported oregon reported, and however the authorities tin guarantee that this fundamentally ne'er happens again,” Romero told a sheet of legislators.

“There’s nary implicit grounds of what occurred,” she said.

Representative Marianna Anaya, presenting to the committee alongside Romero, said authorities authorities missed respective opportunities implicit decades to halt Epstein.

“Even aft each these years, you know, determination are inactive questions of New Mexico’s relation arsenic a state, our roles successful presumption of oversight and accountability for the survivors who are harmed,” she said.

New Mexico laws allowed Epstein to debar registering locally arsenic a enactment offender agelong aft helium was required to registry successful Florida, wherever helium was convicted of soliciting a insignificant for prostitution successful 2008.

Republican Representative Andrea Reeb said she believed New Mexicans “have a close to cognize what happened astatine this ranch” and she didn’t consciousness the committee was going to beryllium a “big governmental thing”.

To determination forward, support volition beryllium needed from the authorities House erstwhile the legislature convenes successful January.