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A Democratic Party representative has demanded the former prince Andrew Windsor to testify before the House of Representatives investigative panel that is currently conducting an investigation into the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Bipartisan Demands for Testimony

The declaration from Ro Khanna, a California Democratic representative who is a member of the House oversight committee, comes after a British trade official, Chris Bryant, suggested that since Mountbatten Windsor has been stripped of his royal status, 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 reasonable individual to comply with that request,” Bryant said.

The congressman stated: “Andrew should be called to testify before the investigative committee. The public deserves to know who was exploiting women and minors alongside Epstein.”

Partisan Environment and Probe Progress

Republicans hold the majority in the House, but following public pressure over former President Trump’s management of the Epstein case approved an inquiry by the oversight committee into how the authorities managed his legal proceedings. Interest in the case flared in July, after the Department of Justice revealed 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 Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday – as well as depositions from ex-government leaders.

Legislative Actions and Obstacles

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

The Democrat and Republican Congressman Massie have proposed legislation to mandate the disclosure of files related to Epstein, but House Speaker Johnson, a top ally of the president, has blocked a vote on it. The two congressmen have circulated a discharge petition that will require the bill be voted on, if a majority of representatives endorse it.

“This is what my effort with Congressman Massie has been about: openness and justice for the survivors who have been courageously speaking out,” Khanna said.

The appeal has been signed by all 213 House Democrats, as well as four GOP members. The 218th 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 speaker has refused to do so until the House reconvenes, and says he will not tell lawmakers to come back to the capital until the Senate passes a measure to end the ongoing government shutdown.