Met Police Chief Visits Washington Seeking Unredacted Epstein Files

Met Police Chief Visits Washington Seeking Unredacted Epstein Files

Met Police Chief Visits Washington Seeking Unredacted Epstein Files

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is visiting Washington to urge U.S. officials to release unredacted correspondence between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) released millions of pages of Epstein-related documents in January. Some details in those documents have been redacted.

Prior Contact With U.S. Officials

Sir Mark met U.S. Ambassador Warren Stephens on February 24 to request expedited access to unredacted versions of the documents, according to The Times. It is unclear whether the DoJ will comply.

If the DoJ does not comply, the Met may have to submit a formal mutual legal assistance request (MLA). That process would take substantially longer.

The Met had already made contact with U.S. authorities to seek further detail on what was disclosed in the files prior to Sir Mark's visit.

Mandelson Investigation

Peter Mandelson was previously arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The accusation: disclosing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary.

Mandelson was bailed and later released from his bail conditions. He remains under investigation.

Emails from 2009, visible in the Epstein files, appear to show Mandelson passing on an assessment by Gordon Brown's adviser of potential policy measures, including an "asset sales plan."

Mandelson also appeared to discuss a tax on bankers' bonuses and confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010.

The emails appeared to have been sent to Epstein after Epstein became a convicted sex offender.

Lord Mandelson lost his position as the UK's ambassador to the U.S. in September of the previous year due to his association with Epstein.

Drug-Related Emails

Newly uncovered emails from the Epstein files suggest Epstein had been illegally supplying Mandelson with drugs. Additional emails show Epstein arranged for Mandelson to receive cosmetic Botox injections during visits to New York.

These exchanges occurred while Epstein was under house arrest following his conviction for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl.

In one message, Mandelson tells Epstein that drugs believed to be Xanax sedatives are "all very well but you need someone to use them on…"

Epstein is known to have supplied his victims — including Virginia Giuffre — with Xanax to create dependency. Xanax is a controlled drug in both the U.S. and the UK. It is illegal to possess without a prescription. The NHS does not prescribe it due to high risks of addiction.

In another email, Mandelson asks Epstein where he will get more "triangles." Xanax pills come in different shapes depending on dosage. The most potent form is green and triangular.

The emails show Mandelson repeatedly asked Epstein for medical advice and medication.

Prior Written Warning to Prime Minister

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned in writing that Mandelson continued a "particularly close" friendship with Epstein for years after Epstein's sex offense convictions in 2008. This warning preceded Starmer's decision to appoint Mandelson as U.S. ambassador.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Investigation

Thames Valley Police is separately seeking unredacted files relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Andrew is the subject of a separate misconduct in public office investigation over claims he also leaked sensitive government information to Epstein.

Nearly 100 documents in the Epstein files naming the former prince are alleged to have been secretly redacted weeks after their initial release.

Dozens of emails mentioning the former Duke of York, which were once findable via basic keyword search, can now only be traced from screenshots showing their sent dates.

The reportedly redacted documents include an exchange between Epstein and a Russian woman identified as Irina. In the exchange, they confirm plans for her to spend an evening with Andrew in August 2010. Irina responds asking if she should message the then-Prince, followed by a truncated version of his email address — "tdoy@rlwgp..." — the first part of which stands for "the Duke of York."

Reporters previously could use "tdoy" as a search term on the Epstein Files website. That term now returns zero results.

It is unknown whether the retrospective redactions resulted from a complaint by Andrew or his legal team.

DoJ Redaction Policy

The DoJ states that the primary reason for its redactions is to protect the identities of victims or protect ongoing investigations. Many of the redactions have been controversial.

In other cases, the names and photos of victims have been published in full within the released files.

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Source

Reported by Rory Tingle for Mail Online. Read original article.