US lawmakers ask Mandelson to testify to Congress over Epstein relationship | Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson has been asked to testify before the US Congress about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the committee on oversight and government reform, and congressman Suhas Subramanyam wrote a letter to Mandelson requesting that he be questioned as part of the Epstein investigation.
The letter said: “Although you are no longer serving as British ambassador to the United States and have resigned from the House of Lords, it is clear that you have extensive social and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein and have critical information relevant to our investigation into Epstein’s operations.
“Given the appalling allegations regarding Epstein’s conduct, we request that you make yourself available for a written interview with Committee staff regarding the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his collaborators.”
In the letter, members point out instances in which Mandelson was photographed or mentioned in the 3.5 million Epstein files released in the past two weeks.
Britain’s former US ambassador has been given until the end of the month to respond.
Mandelson is also being investigated by the Metropolitan police for alleged misconduct in a public office following allegations that he passed sensitive market information to Epstein in 2009 when he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.
Police officers searched two properties linked to the former House of Lords member as part of the investigation. Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.
Garcia and Subramanyam made a similar request for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to testify last year. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The former prince did not respond to an interview request from the committee in November, prompting Keir Starmer to say anyone with “relevant information” should share it.
Earlier this month, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords and gave up his membership in the Labor Party due to his connections with Epstein, who was convicted of child sexual abuse.
The former cabinet minister was removed from his post as US ambassador in September over his past links to the disgraced financier.
