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Why these American politicians want to speak with the former prince Andrew

Summary:

Sixteen US Democratic Party members of Congress have requested former prince Andrew to participate in a transcribed interview with the House of Representatives oversight committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities. This request comes after King Charles III removed his brother’s royal titles and honors, following public anger over Andrew’s links to Epstein. The deadline for Andrew’s response is November 20.

What This Means for You:

  • Understand the implications: The request for an interview highlights the ongoing scrutiny of Andrew’s involvement with Epstein.
  • Know the deadline: Andrew has been asked to respond by November 20, and failure to meet this deadline could lead to further consequences.
  • Contextualize the action: The investigation is part of the House’s efforts to reveal co-conspirators and understand Epstein’s criminal operations.
  • Recognize the limitations of power: The US Congress has no authority to compel foreigners, like Andrew, to testify in this matter.

Original Post:

United States politicians wrote to Britain’s disgraced former prince Andrew on Thursday requesting he sit for an interview about his friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The letter was disclosed as King Charles III formally stripped his younger brother of his titles after last week’s announcement that Andrew was being banished from the monarchy.
Sixteen Democratic Party members of Congress signed a letter asking Andrew to participate in a “transcribed interview” with the House of Representatives oversight committee investigating Epstein, who took his own life in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.

“The committee is seeking to uncover the identities of Mr Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers and to understand the full extent of his criminal operations,” the letter read.

The letter asked Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, to respond by 20 November.
It was signed by Democrats who are in a minority in the House. US Congress also has no power to compel testimony from foreigners, making it unlikely that Andrew will give evidence.
A spokesperson for the former prince did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.
Emails recently released by the committee as well as a posthumous memoir written by Andrew’s sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre reignited UK anger over Andrew’s ties to Epstein.

It culminated in Charles deciding to remove all of Andrew’s royal titles and honours and announcing that he would be ousted from his 30-room mansion on the royal estate at Windsor, west of London.

Charles has formally made the changes with an announcement published Wednesday in The Gazette, the UK’s official public record.
Andrew has always denied that he sexually abused Giuffre, who alleged that she was trafficked to have sex with him on three occasions, twice when she was just 17.
After she launched a lawsuit against him, he paid her a multi-million-pound settlement in 2022 without making any admission of guilt.
Giuffre, a US and Australian citizen, died by suicide at her home in Australia in April.

Extra Information:

Source: The Guardian on the Democratic politicians’ request

Source: BBC on King Charles III taking away Andrew’s titles and honors

These sources provide further context on the political dimension associated with the investigation, as well as the royal implications. Understanding the broader situation is crucial when interpreting Congress’s request.

People Also Ask About:

  • Q: Does the US Congress have the power to compel foreigners to testify?
    A: No, the US Congress does not have the power to compel testimony from foreigners. The current request made to Andrew is not guaranteed to result in his compliance.
  • Q: Why did King Charles III remove Andrew’s royal titles?
    A: Andrew’s royal titles were removed in response to growing public anger over his links to Epstein and the renewed focus on the allegations against him as a result of emails and Virginia Giuffre’s memoir.
  • Q: Did Andrew admit guilt in the multi-million-pound settlement with Giuffre?
    A: Andrew did not admit guilt in the 2022 multi-million-pound settlement with Giuffre. He has consistently denied sexually abusing her since she launched the lawsuit.

Expert Opinion:

Former prosecutor and legal expert Jennifer Rodgers points out that while the US Congress has no power to enforce testimony from foreigners, the demand for cooperation is still an important step in the investigation. The rumblings from American lawmakers underscore the far-reaching impact of Epstein’s criminal activities and heighten scrutiny of those who may have played a role in enabling him.

Key Terms:

  • Jeffrey Epstein
  • Prince Andrew
  • US Democratic Party members
  • House of Representatives oversight committee
  • Interview



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