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A Democratic Party representative has publicly called for the ex-royal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to testify before the House of Representatives investigative panel that is carrying out an inquiry into the official handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Cross-Party Demands for Evidence

The declaration from Ro Khanna, a Democratic representative from California who is a member of the House oversight committee, follows a British trade official, Chris Bryant, indicated that since the former prince has been stripped of his royal status, he should respond to requests for details about his dealings with Epstein, an accused 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 expect any reasonable individual to comply with that request,” Bryant said.

The congressman stated: “Andrew should be summoned to appear before the oversight committee. The public deserves to know who was exploiting women and minors with Epstein.”

Political Landscape and Probe Developments

GOP members control 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 government handled his legal proceedings. Interest in the case surged 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 thus far resulted in the publication of tens of thousands of pages – including a lewd drawing reportedly drawn by Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday – as well as sworn statements from former top government officials.

Legal Efforts and Obstacles

As a minority party member, Khanna does not have the power to subpoena Mountbatten Windsor’s testimony. Representatives for the committee’s Republican chair, James Comer, declined to comment about whether he believes the former prince should be interviewed.

Khanna and Thomas Massie have introduced a bill to force the release of files related to Epstein, but Mike Johnson, a key presidential supporter, has blocked a vote on it. Massie and Khanna have distributed a petition that will force a vote on the bill, if a majority of representatives endorse it.

“This is what my effort with Representative 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 final required signature is anticipated to come from Adelita Grijalva, who was elected in Arizona last month, and awaits inauguration by the Speaker. However, the House leader has declined to act until the House reconvenes, and says he will not tell representatives to return to Washington until the Senate passes a bill to end the ongoing government shutdown.