Morning Joe rips ‘morally bankrupt’ GOP for ‘protecting’ people in Epstein files as UK arrests former Prince Andrew

Joe Scarborough, the co-host of Morning Joe, tore into House Republicans overseeing the inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein, accusing them of protecting allies who may have had relationships with the disgraced financier – just as the United Kingdom arrests Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a former prince.

Scarborough’s criticisms came after Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by U.K. police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct while in office, stemming from his association with Epstein. While the former prince has not been formally charged with a crime related to Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women and girls, survivors have accused him of participating.

During Thursday morning’s broadcast, Scarborough raised his voice while ranting about Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, for “protecting” Republicans who may have been named in the Epstein files. Congress is investigating the Epstein files after President Donald Trump promised to release the full files during his presidential campaign. Some have claimed that officials named in the files have been protected by the government because of their status in society.

“Again, if you did something horrific or if you were extraordinarily close to Jeffrey Epstein. If you got caught lying, time and time again, about your relationship with Jeffrey Epstein…. Now, if you’re a Republican, you’re off the hook,” Scarborough said.

The Morning Joe host went on to criticize Comer and others for not attending the deposition of Leslie Wexner, a billionaire and former CEO of Victoria’s Secret, Wednesday. Wexner, who is named multiple times in the Epstein files, has denied all wrongdoing and said he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes.

“They don’t even show up for his deposition. That tells you how hypocritical and morally bankrupt on this Epstein issue they are,” Scarborough said.

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A source familiar with the situation told The Hill that Comer could not attend the deposition due to a previously scheduled oral surgery.

The Independent has asked the House Oversight Committee and Comer for comment.

The House Oversight Committee is currently deposing individuals who had ties to Epstein, such as Wexner, former President Bill Clinton and Richard Kahn, Epstein’s former accountant, as part of a broader inquiry into Epstein’s network.

Through legislation, Congress compelled the Justice Department to release millions of pages of documents in the government’s investigation into Epstein.

Other than Epstein’s former girlfriend and close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, no other person has been convicted for being associated with Epstein’s crimes. Epstein died in federal jail in 2019 before he could go to trial. Maxwell was convicted of child sex trafficking, among other charges, and in 2021, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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For years, Epstein and Maxwell sexually abused young women and underage girls by coercing them into their orbit under promises of wealth and fame. Survivors of Epstein’s have accused high-profile individuals of participating in those crimes.

Among those are Mountbatten-Windsor, who has vehemently denied those accusations.

Virginia Giuffre, an outspoken Epstein survivor who died by suicide last year, accused the former prince of sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old. She filed a federal lawsuit againstMountbatten-Windsor in 2021.While Mountbatten-Windsor denied having sex with Giuffre, he settled the lawsuit with her for an undisclosed amount in 2022.

But since the resurgence of those documents, U.K. police have launched an investigation into the former prince’s association with Epstein amid allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the U.K.’s trade envoy.

“At least they have shame in Europe, if somebody was hanging out with Jeffrey Epstein, there are consequences. No consequences here,” Scarborough added.