Further Epstein release in the US expected to reveal more Prince Andrew links
US Democrats vow to ‘deliver justice’ as Congress prepares to release another batch of documents from the pedophile financier’s estate.
More documents related to Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein are expected to be released in the US after Democrats in Congress vowed to “deliver justice” for victims of the pedophile financier.
The House of Representatives oversight committee has released tens of thousands of documents, including travel logs, pictures and messages, from Epstein’s estate over recent weeks. The documents were obtained from Epstein’s estate through a subpoena.
Previous releases included evidence suggesting Andrew received massages paid for with $US200 cheques and travelled in Epstein’s private jet, the “Lolita Express”.
On Friday, the committee issued another trove of documents, which included Epstein’s calendar showing lunches and dinners with Woody Allen, Peter Thiel, the PayPal co-founder, and Mark Zuckerberg. One phone log showed two undated calls with President Donald Trump. Andrew appeared as a passenger on four different flights.
The documents also showed that Andrew flew with Ghislaine Maxwell from Luton to Edinburgh on September 1, 2006. He took a flight on May 12, 2000 with Epstein, Maxwell, the celebrity chef Adam Perry Lang, a bodyguard and three other people. A passenger called “Prince Andrew” was also listed with Steve Burgess, a royal protection officer, on two more flights from 1999.
Robert Garcia, a Democrat on the House oversight committee, said Andrew had been accused of “heinous crimes” by Epstein’s victims. He said: “His decision to give up his royal titles is long overdue. We know rich and powerful men used their money and power to abuse girls and young women, and to shield themselves from justice.
“Prince Andrew’s decision is just the beginning in the committee’s work to deliver justice for the survivors and push for the release of all the Epstein files – something House Republicans refuse to do. Release the files, now.”
Democrats are trying to force the release of the wider Epstein files, which include FBI case notes on the financier. They need 218 signatures to secure a vote in the House of Representatives. But the party remains stuck on 217 signatures because Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House, is blocking a newly elected congresswoman from taking her seat. Adelita Grijalva was elected last month, succeeding her father, Raul, who died earlier this year.
She has vowed to provide the 218th signature once she takes her seat.
However, Johnson claimed he cannot allow her to take her seat during the government shutdown. “We will swear her in when everybody gets back,” he said.
“If I were a Republican I would have already been sworn in,” Grijalva said. “They are afraid of me signing and being the 218th signer.”
Trump urged Republicans not to help Democrats release the wider Epstein files, dismissing the documents as a “hoax”.
An alleged doodle by Trump of a naked woman appeared in a notorious 50th birthday book for Epstein that was released by Congress earlier this year. The White House denied that Trump drew the image.
Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman who is working with the Democrats, said: “First the British ambassador [Lord Mandelson] lost his job and now the prince lost his title. Don’t tell us there’s nothing in the Epstein files. The truth is coming out and we will not give up.”
The Times
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