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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Savannah Guthrie In New Video: We Are At An Hour Of Desperation; Savannah Guthrie Pleads For Public's Help In New Video; Lawmakers Begin Reviewing Unredacted Epstein Files At DOJ; Maxwell Pleads The Fifth In House Deposition, Offers To Clear Trump's Name For Clemency; Calls For PM's Resignation, New Claims About Andrew & Epstein. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired February 09, 2026 - 18:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:00:00]

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper, and I'm live in Tucson, Arizona, right outside the Pima County Sheriff's Department, where we're following the breaking news. NBC News Anchor Savannah Guthrie releasing a brand new video on social media this afternoon pleading for the public's help your help in locating her 84- year-old mother, Nancy, who disappeared from her home nine days ago. Savannah saying that her family is, quote, at an hour of desperation, unquote.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, DAUGHTER OF NANCY GUTHRIE: Hi there, everybody. I wanted to come on in. Just share a few thoughts as we enter into another week of this nightmare. I just want to say, first of all, thank you so much for all of the prayers and the love that we have felt, my sister and brother and I, and that our mom has felt, because we believe that somehow, some way, she's feeling these prayers and that God is lifting her even in this moment and in this darkest place. We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help.

Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock trying to bring her home, trying to find her, if she was taken and we don't know where, and we need your help.

So, I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you that, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Sadly, our reporting suggests that as of now, there are still no serious suspects or persons of interest in this case and a purported ransom note demanding $6 million in Bitcoin by 5:00 P.M. tonight, although we should be clear, police have not publicly confirmed that that note is authentic. I want to bring in right now CNN's Ed Lavandera, who is in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Pima County, Arizona, where Nancy's house has had. There's been some new activity from investigators around the house this past weekend.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we've seen consistent investigative law enforcement activity not just here in this neighborhood but across various parts of the city where we know investigators have been checking out convenience stores. They've also been checking out Savannah's sister, Annie's home as well.

And so all of that work continues, and we do know that from neighbors here in this area, investigators have essentially been almost like re- canvassing the area, trying to turn over something that might have been missed in the, in, in the initial search of this neighborhood going back more than a week now to last Sunday when this disappearance and abduction was first reported. We know that they've been asking about if residents or anyone has captured any kind of suspicious vehicle, suspicious people that have been hanging in the neighborhood, all of that work continues.

But despite all of that, and it's not just confined here to this neighborhood, Jake, it's been happening across the city, from what we understand, still no clear information, no clear leads that would bring them any closer to finding Nancy Guthrie.

TAPPER: Ed Lavandera, thank you so much.

Let's bring in CNN's Chief Law Enforcement Analyst John Miller. And, John, the past few videos we've seen from the Guthrie family have been very different. They were targeted at the kidnappers, not the public. The tone has been different. Why do you think that is?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, each one served a different purpose. The first one was to appeal to, you know, the kidnappers to reach out, to communicate, to answer them. The second one was to do that a second time, which is we still haven't heard from you and we need to know that you can talk to us and that you have our mom and that you can prove that she's still alive.

[18:05:05]

The third one was a response to a communication they got because they said, we got your message and we understand, we want our mother back and we're willing to pay. This one is totally different because it's not directed at the kidnappers, it's directed at the public.

And I think, you know, you pointed this out earlier, Jake. Morning television is different from watching the news. People will drop in and out of the news as they can during the day. Morning television is habit viewing. That means that Savannah Guthrie has almost 3 million people that she is with every morning across this country who feel, in some measure, she's a part of their family, they're a part of hers, and she's trying to marshal the power of that position to say, I need everybody, everybody out there, you know, to get engaged in this. And that's the difference between all the messages. Each one had a distinctly different purpose, as does this one today, because I think they're worried that people may assume this is all unfolding behind the curtain and that they should stay out of it. She's like, don't mind your business. If you got a lead, call it in.

TAPPER: Yes. I guess that's my next question is, how do you interpret this video to the public asking for help to find Nancy Guthrie as opposed to -- I mean, in relation to whatever the kidnappers, the ransom letters, whatever communications are going on there? It would seem to me contradictory, like if you have a relationship or communication with the kidnappers, you wouldn't necessarily ask for help from the public. But I don't know. You tell me. Am I wrong?

MILLER: This is one of these things where it's, you know, everything everywhere, all at once. You want to deal with the kidnappers, but you're going to deal with them understanding they're going to be bad people to start with. They may not be trustworthy. They may not even be kidnappers in that it's hard to verify without a solid proof of life, that this isn't just an extortion for money. But on the other hand, you don't want the public to lose focus.

On the third hand, you know, police are still investigating every lead that they are getting, some of which, you know, can be very promising and then flame out, some of which they haven't gotten to yet, because in the triage there at the back of the book. But all of that has to happen simultaneously.

TAPPER: Yes. John, it's been nine days. What kinds of tips are legitimately helpful to law enforcement as they sort through everything in this investigation? Because Savannah said, anything that you saw or heard that struck you as unusual, please call law enforcement. So, what are you -- what are law -- what is law enforcement looking for?

MILLER: What they're looking for in concentric circles going out from the ground zero of Tucson, Arizona, is, did somebody see, you know, a van or a car where people, you know, were helping an elderly woman out who might have looked like her and bringing her into a building. That would be a class A, you know, topnotch lead that they would go out right away. Then they kind of go down to, did somebody hear two people talking about it and say that, you know, they had some information. Can you direct to who those people are? I mean, it's really anything.

And I think their worry is that people say, I think this could be connected, but I don't want to embarrass myself. I don't want to call. I don't want them to roll their eyes saying that sounds farfetched. Today's message was, if you think it matters, it matters. Just call.

TAPPER: The purported ransom note sent to some local T.V. stations in TMZ last week has the deadline at 5:00 P.M. We assume that's 5:00 P.M. Mountain Time here in Tucson, Arizona, so in a little less than an hour, it demands $6 million in Bitcoin. TMZ this afternoon, I believe, reportedly, you know, they had the Bitcoin account because they got the ransom note and they looked into it, however one does that, and they saw no payment as of earlier this afternoon. Can investigators use the information from that Bitcoin account to trace in some way whoever sent the ransom note? I mean, I know that Bitcoin exists for a lot of reasons, but also a lot of criminals use it because it's not traceable. But is that absolutely -- it's not traceable at all, no matter what?

MILLER: Well, it depends how careful and thorough the people who set up the Bitcoin accounts were. But if you anonymize it by not using your name and you just go by the alphanumeric number that's assigned to that wallet, they can see where it started and what wallet.

[18:10:09]

They can see where it ended up and what wallet. But if you've done a good job of setting it up, they're not going to know who you are and in some cases where you are.

TAPPER: All right. CNN's John Miller, thanks so much.

Much more on our breaking news in moments, a former FBI agent and criminologist who's going to join us live to break down. What she thinks are the biggest takeaways from Savannah Guthrie's new video and this purported deadline, which is coming up.

Plus, back in Washington, D.C., lawmakers getting their first glances behind the redactions, getting a chance to see the unredacted Epstein files. A Democrat who viewed the documents today is going to join us live to share what he learned.

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TAPPER: Welcome back to the Pima County Sheriff's Office in Tucson, Arizona. We're continuing with our breaking news coverage of Nancy Guthrie's abduction. And this afternoon's new Instagram post from her daughter Savannah Guthrie of NBC News, Savannah says that the family believes their mom is, quote, still out there.

[18:15:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTHRIE: No matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: With us now, former FBI Agent Bryanna Fox, she's now an associate professor at the University of South Florida. Bryanna, thanks for joining us.

So, based on Savannah's plea this afternoon and your experience, what should people in Tucson and beyond be on the lookout for?

BRYANNA FOX, FORMER FBI AGENT: Well, I'm thrilled at this development and go, Savannah, because I really think that this is what's going to break this case open. Oftentimes it is the public that makes the lead that leads the end of the case. So, I think she's doing a great job. This is a big thing. I know it was very difficult for her, but things

that the public could see and notice are unusual patterns, somebody that isn't normally in their neighborhood and now is, or somebody that has, you know, a new person drop in, especially if it's an elderly person and they're not used to it, any discussion, especially if it's, you know, unusual and cryptic.

All of that, even if you feel embarrassed or think, you know, this could be nothing, it could be the thing. Recall the Brown University shooting where somebody just saw someone wearing, you know, an inappropriate outfit outside in the wintertime and posted it on Reddit and then that person was told, you should take this to law enforcement, and that ended up breaking up in the case.

TAPPER: Yes. No, and the alleged shooters of Charlie Kirk and the alleged shooter of the UnitedHealthcare executive as well. That's from people paying attention to the news, looking at the images and we're showing right now a lot of pictures of Nancy Guthrie on the screen.

A lot is being made of the words Savannah used in the video message she released with her brother and sister on Saturday. I want to roll a little bit of that and get your take on that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTHRIE: We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Some people thought that that was -- had a subtext of pessimism. Others thought that there were code words, code language being used there. How did you take it?

FOX: To be honest, I was personally distraught. I was really worried exactly what you said, that there was a lack of optimism. It just seemed like they weren't reaching out to their mother. They were speaking to this ransomer. And I was really worried about what that could have meant from the last message that was sent on, I believe, Thursday night.

But this new message actually has, you know, renewed my optimism that they believe that she's still alive and out there, which really is great news. I think also Savannah may be changing course. I think she's maybe nervous that either the ransom notes aren't, in fact, valid and legitimate and, you know, they were dealing with somebody that brought them no closer to finding their mother.

And so at this point, she maybe just thinking, well, I'm going to invite the entire public, my viewership, everybody that cares about this case, as so many people do, to try to help solve it. And that could be by sharing that small detail that could lead investigators towards where her mother is at.

TAPPER: Bryanna Fox, thank you so much for your time and expertise. We really appreciate it. And, again, if you out there, if you have any information about Nancy Guthrie and where you think she might be, call the Pima County Sheriff's Department at (520) 351-4900, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also reach the agency online at tips.fbi.gov.

Much more of our breaking news coverage in just moments, but another major story we're following today, lawmakers getting their first chance to see the unredacted Epstein files. My next guest is a member of Congress who says he saw lots of co-conspirators in those documents. We're going to talk to him next.

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TAPPER: And we're back in our National Lead. We're live from Tucson, Arizona, right outside the sheriff's department. This is where the search for Nancy Guthrie, the beloved mother of NBC News' Savannah Guthrie continues with now in its ninth day.

We're also following big developments in another tragic story, that's the Epstein investigation. After the Justice Department made millions of unredacted records, unredacted about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein available for certain members of Congress to view today, here's what Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna said they saw just moments ago. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): What I saw that bothered me were the names of at least six men that have been redacted that are likely incriminated by their inclusion in these files.

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Our bigger concern is that there's still a lot that's redacted, even in what we're seeing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Here now, joining us, Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee.

So, Congressman, you got a look at some of these files today. Now, the Epstein Files Transparency Act only allowed the Justice Department to withhold the personal information of the victims, the survivors, and material that would jeopardize active federal investigations. Did the redactions that you saw comply with the law? And tell us what you saw that concerned you.

REP. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-FL): Well, thanks, Jake. Thanks for having me.

First, let me say, obviously, we're all hoping for Savannah's mom's speedy return to her family.

So, first of all, you go into the Department of Justice today, you go to the tenth floor of a building.

[18:25:01]

There's nobody who works on that floor. You go into a room with four computers. The system that they set up for us to view these documents has a 24-page handbook on how to use it. There's 2.7 million documents that you have to go through. There's no way to go through them unless you know what you're looking for by batch number, try to match up the redacted document and look for it in an unredacted capacity.

But, first, let me say that today I saw a worldwide sex trafficking ring with people in other countries sourcing young children for Jeffrey Epstein, co-conspirators' names, men and women, clearly other people that might be on the client list that are on text messages and emails, overredaction, dramatic overredaction, it looks like intentionally so, and then documents that are still redacted. And when we asked why these were redacted, that's because they were submitted into this electronic system redacted. And the people that were at our disposal to ask those questions did not know why they were still redacted, Jake.

TAPPER: Have -- could you identify any of the names of individuals who are mentioned in the files that concern you? And if you are afraid of doing it with me now because of fear of lawsuit, there is the speech and debate clause of the Constitution. Obviously, you can go to the floor of the House and you could say it and not be sued. Can you tell us anybody?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, Jake, we have Pam Bondi coming to the Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, as you mentioned. It's the first time she's coming to the judiciary hearing. She's the only cabinet secretary yet to appear in the House on the Committee of Jurisdiction, and I think we're going to give her the opportunity to start naming people. I think that's what Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna have talked about. Obviously, these names need to come out.

I think the DOJ needs to release an unredacted version of these documents while still keeping the victims' names secure. But there are clearly co-conspirators in here that they can name, okay? I mean, in the documents I saw, we got pictures and their names. They're talking about sourcing girls. There's people in Paris, there's people in Russia, there's people in Czech sourcing girls for Jeffrey Epstein.

And then other people talking about these girls being sent to them, they refer to them as, you know, we're dropping the child off. I mean, it's really gross, Jake, on how these people are talking about this stuff in text message and email. I think the American people need to see it and understand that this is a worldwide network that Jeffrey Epstein was running.

TAPPER: Today, Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney said she's prepared to speak fully and honestly. She took the Fifth with the House Oversight Committee earlier. But she said she'll speak fully and honestly but only if given clemency by President Trump and her attorney, essentially at the same time was saying, hey, you know, Ghislaine Maxwell's the only person who could clear President Trump and President Clinton and say they're innocent of wrongdoing. Some people might see that as a quid pro quo. What was your reaction? TAPPER: That's exactly what it is, Jake. First of all, why was she moved from the maximum security prison? Why did Todd Blanche move her? You know, I hope we get an answer from Pam Bondi on Wednesday. Nobody seems to know why she was moved. Who directed that? What was that exchange for? By the way, when she talked to Todd Blanche, she didn't claim any Fifth Amendment privilege, and so her right to remain silent.

So, all of a sudden now, I mean, this is another failed, you know, Comer, you know, hearing that he has where he says, Ghislaine Maxwell's coming into talk and we're going to get the truth, and when we get nothing. She needs to go back to that maximum security prison. There should be no deal for clemency for her to bail anybody out.

But at the end of the day, we need to know why she was given this deal, why she was moved, what did she trade for, and what does the administration know that they're not telling us.

TAPPER: Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida, thanks so much, always good to have you on.

Much more on our breaking news in moments as Savannah Guthrie posts a new video pleading for the public's help in finding her mother, Nancy. I'm going to get new insight from a former Tucson, Arizona, detective next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

TAPPER: We're back live in Tucson, Arizona, as the desperate search for Nancy Guthrie enters critical juncture. The 84-year-old mother of Today Show Anchor Savannah Guthrie was taken from her home in Arizona nine days ago.

Earlier today, Savannah posted a new video saying that she believes her mother is still out there. Investigators still do not have a suspect. Ransom notes were purportedly sent to multiple news organizations over the weekend, over last week, rather, demanding $6 million in Bitcoin. The Guthrie family says they are willing to pay for the return of their mother.

Joining us now is Benjamin Jimenez. He's a former homicide investigator for the Tucson Police Department, so he knows this area very well. Benjamin in an update from the Sheriff's Department, officials say that law enforcement activity at Nancy Guthrie's home will continue tonight and tomorrow, quote, as part of the ongoing investigative process, including the expansion of the search and follow-up on new leads. This is all part of the investigative process as the search for Nancy expands and new leads come in, unquote. As the search for Nancy Guthrie expands, what do you read into that?

BENJAMIN JIMENEZ, FORMER TUCSON POLICE HOMICIDE DETECTIVE: Well, it tells me that new leads are coming in and so they have to follow up on all those leads. Whether it takes them back out at the scene, out in the desert, wherever it takes them, they're following up on those leads. And we don't know how many are coming in, but in these types of cases, many leads do come in and they have to, you know, follow up on all of them.

TAPPER: Many homes and businesses in Pima County are remote and far apart. Talk about the challenges for law enforcement in light of that for this case?

[18:35:02]

JIMENEZ: Well, it's difficult. The closest store to that home was about, you know, a good five minutes away. So, I'm sure they looked into that. As far as cameras to and from that area, the cameras there at the intersection. So, it's very isolated in certain areas up there.

I grew up in Tucson, so I know it was all desert at one point many years ago and now there's homes everywhere, but it's still pretty rural. A lot of -- it's very dark at night and a very few street lights. So, I imagine if they did, were able to see anything on street or on Ring cameras, it would've been very limited due to the darkness.

TAPPER: And we've seen authorities close and then reopen the crime scene around Nancy Guthrie's house multiple times. What potential developments in the case would lead them to close it, then reopen it, close it, reopen it?

JIMENEZ: The following up on leads, depending on how many leads are coming in, whether or not they -- you know, they have to check all the boxes in these types of cases. So, you know, they have a lot of fresh minds with all the agencies involved now. So, those leads that come in, they have to go back out. It is not uncommon for them to return to the scene of a situation like this and reopen, put the crime scene tape back up and, you know, look around again to see what they can find.

TAPPER: They were looking in the septic tank outside Nancy Guthrie's home, I believe, yesterday, on Sunday. What would they be looking for? Would they be looking for her, just to explore the idea of maybe there wasn't a kidnapping at all? Like why would they be looking in there?

JIMENEZ: Well, it's questionable. I mean, you know, you're hearing a lot of things on the media, whether or not it's a true kidnapping. So, based on that, you know, they have to make sure that they check everywhere and within reason, within closeness to the home in question here. So, they're going back out, they're checking into any tunnels, any -- you know, if there's any old mines in the area, you never know. It's -- you know, you don't want to think about that, but you have to follow up on those, any openings, any caves out there.

It is pretty rural. It's pretty rocky in certain areas, so there's many places that something could be found. And that's what they're looking for. They're just -- they're going back out and trying to find whatever they can, any leads, any trails that they didn't search. So, they're going to be going back out again and again.

TAPPER: Benjamin Jimenez, thank you so much. I appreciate it. The other major story that we're following today, an attorney for Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell saying that she can clear President Trump's name, but she needs clemency first. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00]

TAPPER: Welcome back. We're live in Tucson, Arizona, following the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. We're going to continue to monitor the search and bring you updates.

But let's turn to our Law and Justice Lead. Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted child sex trafficker and associate of dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, refused to say a word today during an ongoing deposition with the House Oversight Committee. Her lawyer told the committee that Maxwell will not answer questions unless she is granted clemency by President Trump.

Let's bring in CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig and CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel. Elie, what do you make of this ultimatum delivered by Maxwell and her attorney? Congressman Moskowitz said it's an obvious quid pro quo.

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: It is right there on the face of it, Jake. It doesn't get any clearer than that. The proposal is written out this for that. I want to pardon, and in exchange I will give you exonerating testimony.

But the fundamental problem with this offer, Jake, is even if Ghislaine Maxwell and Donald Trump reaches agreement, who on this earth would actually believe Ghislaine Maxwell's testimony? We're talking about a convicted child sex trafficker. We're talking about somebody who is openly begging for a pardon.

We're talking about a person in Ghislaine Maxwell who spent nine hours face to face with the deputy attorney general of the United States and gave an utterly preposterous, unbelievable account where she said she had done nothing wrong, nobody else had done anything wrong. Maybe Jeffrey Epstein committed a crime, she said, but she's not sure. If you believe that, I don't know what to tell you. So, even if this deal were somehow to come to fruition, I don't think it would convince a soul.

TAPPER: Jamie, the president has not ruled out clemency for Maxwell. In fact, if memory serves, he wished her well. If he granted her clemency, if he freed her from prison, this could complicate things further. I imagine that there might be some sort of political fallout for the president, possibly.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure, absolutely. Look, to Elie's point, where is the credibility in all of this? Survivors want accountability. So, let's look at what happens if he gives her clemency. This is the one issue where Republican members of the House overwhelmingly, only one didn't, vote to release the Epstein files. That's because these members of Congress know that this is an issue

their constituents care about. So, if he pardons her right now, gives her clemency, those Republicans believe it's going to hurt them in the midterms. If they lose the House, then Donald Trump is going to have a lot of political fallout for the next two years, Jake.

TAPPER: Elie, does Ghislaine Maxwell have grounds to invoke the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer questions in an ongoing deposition with the House Oversight Committee? Is there anything Congress can do to overcome that, or does she only need to speak? Well, does she never need to speak? I mean, is that just how the system works?

HONIG: There's actually a couple things that Congress can do. So, first of all, at the threshold level, yes, she does have a Fifth Amendment right because she has an ongoing what we call a collateral appeal.

[18:45:07]

She's trying to attack her conviction get herself a new trial. But first of all, Congress can point out -- and I've heard various representatives say this throughout the day. You know she spoke openly with Todd Blanche. So legally she might have waived, given away the Fifth Amendment privilege.

The problem is they're talking about it. But the only way you can challenge that if you're a member of the committee, is to take it to court. I've not seen anyone do that.

The other option Congress has, they can immunize her. They can say, go ahead you testify, but now you won't be prosecuted for that now, that may be a terrible idea. I don't think I would be on board for that. But that's also a question that I think members of congress need to be asked. Are you willing to go that far?

You issued the subpoena. Do you want to take those next steps to actually get the testimony, or was it just for show?

TAPPER: Jamie, knowing what you know about President Trump, do you see any world where President Trump posts midterms or maybe on his way out the door of the White House issues Ghislaine Maxwell a pardon or commutation?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: I think that's possible, Jake. What do we know? Donald Trump loves the pardon power, and he is very sensitive about the Epstein files. So, if he thinks it serves his interest, no one should be surprised if that happens after the midterms.

TAPPER: And, Elie, asking for clemency, of course, that's what Maxwell's attorney asked for. That's different from asking for a pardon, which wipes your criminal record clean what?

What could clemency mean for Ghislaine Maxwell?

HONIG: So, there's two variations of clemency. One, as you said, Jake, would be a pardon, which absolutely just wipes the conviction off the books and would let Ghislaine Maxwell out of prison the moment it was issued.

Separately, there's a lesser option called the commutation, and that could be a sentencing reduction. It could be a reduction of a couple of years, a couple of weeks. It could be a reduction down to any level. The president wants.

So -- and by the way, just for the record, Ghislaine Maxwell, 64 years old, if you do the math on her time left, she has about 11 years left on her 20-year sentence. When you deduct time off for good behavior. So, she's got a ways to go. So, there is a way Donald Trump could not pardon her but reduce the sentence through commutation.

TAPPER: Elie Honig, Jamie Gangel, thanks to both of you.

The fallout from the Epstein file saga extends to our world lead with stunning developments today in the U.K. Calls for Britain's prime minister, Keir Starmer, to step down over his appointment of Peter Mandelson to be the ambassador to the U.S. due to Mandelson's long standing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, as exposed in the release of the files.

The scandal has already cost Starmer's chief of staff his job. And now, late today, Buckingham Palace saying it would support a criminal probe of the former Prince Andrew over new revelations that he shared secret trade documents with Epstein.

CNN's Max Foster reports for us from London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Tonight, King Charles, signaling his readiness to cooperate with U.K. police in any investigation into his brother Andrew. The Epstein crisis now engulfing the palace and the U.K. parliament. U.K. police are, quote, assessing reports that former Prince Andrew shared confidential information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Emails suggest that Andrew Mountbatten- Windsor, in his previous role as trade envoy, sent Epstein reports in 2010 containing briefings on official government visits to Asia and investment opportunities.

Prince William, breaking his silence on the Epstein affair ahead of a visit to Saudi Arabia, a palace spokesperson saying the prince and princess of Wales thoughts remain focused on the victims.

King Charles reiterated the same sentiment in a later statement, saying if they're approached by Thames Valley Police, we stand ready to support them. As you would expect, as was previously stated, their majesties thoughts and sympathies have been and remain with the victims of any and all forms of abuse.

Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and ordered to leave his royal residence last year due to his ties to the late sex offender Epstein. This photo showed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with Epstein's former girlfriend and convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was just 17. He settled a civil lawsuit by Giuffre out of court in 2022. Giuffre died by suicide last April.

On January 30th, the latest tranche of Epstein documents had three undated photos showing Andrew kneeling over what appears to be a woman or girl whose face has been redacted, lying fully clothed and supine on the floor. Andrew's previously denied any wrongdoing.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: He lied about that.

FOSTER (voice-over): U.K. Premier Keir Starmer, facing his own storm over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S. in 2024 despite knowing about his ties to the late child sex trafficker.

[18:50:03]

Documents reveal that Mandelson, too, shared confidential information with Epstein.

STARMER: To learn that there was a cabinet minister leaking sensitive information at the height of the response to the 2008 crash is beyond infuriating, and I am as angry as the public and any member of this house. Mandelson betrayed our country, our parliament and my party.

FOSTER (voice-over): Mandelson resigned from the ruling Labour Party and the House of Lords and is under police investigation. Calls for Starmer to step down have grown following the resignations of his top two aides, including his long-serving chief of staff, who stepped down on Sunday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why the distraction needs to end, and the leadership in downing street has to change.

FOSTER (voice-over): The more we see of the Epstein files, the deeper it plunges, the British establishment into crisis.

Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Our thanks to Max Foster for that report.

As Savannah Guthrie releases a new video pleading for help in locating her missing mother, next, I'm going to talk to a former kidnap for ransom negotiator about what may be happening behind the scenes in the investigation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:55:44]

TAPPER: We're back with our national lead. We're live on the ground in Tucson, Arizona, as the search for Nancy Guthrie continues in its ninth day. Although no suspects have been named in this case, investigators continue to look into the potential ransom note sent to local news stations, which demand $6 million in bitcoin by 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time, presumably today.

So, let's bring in Scott Walker, who spent 16 years with Scotland Yard as a detective and kidnap for ransom negotiator. He's also the author of the book "Order Out of Chaos: A Kidnap Negotiator's Guide to Influence and Persuasion".

Scott, thanks so much for joining us.

So breaking news this afternoon, Savannah Guthrie posted a new video on social media today. This one was not addressed to the kidnappers she was talking to the public asking for the public no matter where they are, even if they don't live anywhere close to Tucson, to contact law enforcement, if they see or hear anything strange. She also said, quote, we're at an hour of desperation.

We need your help. What do you make of this? It seems to a lot of us watching that this suggests that law enforcement just doesn't have any serious leads as of now?

SCOTT WALKER, FORMER HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR: Well, this is a really unusual case ordinarily, the kidnappers would have gone in contact with the authorities or the family by now, and some kind of meaningful negotiation would be taking place and ordinarily we'd want to do that quite covertly, not in the full glare of the media. However, in this case, there is something slightly unusual about it.

And I think in these circumstances, actually getting the media and the public support to try and help finance is actually the right step to take here. And obviously, it's a really, really traumatic period for the whole Guthrie family at the moment.

TAPPER: I think there remain questions about whether the ransom notes are actually from the people who took Nancy Guthrie. But let's assume that they're real. And the Guthries ultimately do decide to pay this ransom. What does that process usually look like? What happens next?

WALKER: Well, you're right in your first point there. We have to be able to verify as accurately as possible that these notes are from the kidnappers who actually have Nancy. And then, that the next stage after that is to get a proof of life, which my understanding is these notes don't actually provide that.

And so, once a proof of life has been obtained, then its really delicate time to actually enter into the logistics of potentially handing over money or being apprehended by the authorities. But we say the most dangerous time in a negotiation is just when you think you're winning. And really, it's only when in this case, Nancy's back safely with her family will people be able to breathe a sigh of relief here.

TAPPER: It seems as though the two ransom notes, however legitimate they are, were sent to new stations, to local TV stations here, and then also TMZ through a tip submission form or an email. Would that make it easier for investigators to locate the suspect or harder?

WALKER: Possibly. I mean, I don't know what capabilities they'll be throwing at this. My guess is they'll be throwing everything they can to try and identify who is sending this and where from. However, the way in which the alleged kidnappers has been sending these messages would indicate maybe slightly, an amateur approach, because normally a professional kidnapper, somebody who's really keen on getting some money from this actually would have perhaps approached a slightly differently and gone directly to the family.

TAPPER: Scott Walker, thank you so much.

And if you have any information about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, no matter how unimportant you might think it might be anything, anything you've heard or seen that you think could be possibly relevant, please share it. The Pima County Sheriff's Department is at 520-351-4900. Or you can call the FBI at 1-800-CALL- FBI, 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also reach the agency online at tips.fbi.gov. That's tips.FBI.gov.

I'll be back with you tomorrow from here in Tucson as we continue to follow updates in the search for Nancy Guthrie.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts now.