First, let me clarify some of the legal issues around Prince Andrew. It’s absolutely true that Andrew has been wanted for questioning by federal authorities here in America because of his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, and possibly because he committed crimes alongside Epstein. But Andrew is also facing a lot of scrutiny for the civil lawsuits from several of Epstein’s trafficking victims. Those lawyers have been trying to depose Andrew for years as well, and they’re piling on the DOJ’s moves. I bring this up because there are two groups of lawyers: the Gloria Allred variety, who are perfectly willing to “try” their cases in the media, and the federal prosecutors who only go public when they’re being stonewalled by the British establishment.

Over the weekend, we heard about the federal prosecutors and how they maneuvered their case to file a request through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. This means that DOJ is officially tired of seeking to question Andrew through the State Department or whatever Ministry. By doing it this way, the DOJ is basically putting additional pressure on Andrew to talk to either them, or their British equivalent (which would be working on the DOJ/FBI’s behalf). At first, “sources” told the BBC that Andrew was “bitterly unhappy” about the fact that this MLA request was leaked, and Andrew’s side called it “an extraordinary breach of confidentiality.” Because he’s used to stuffy boys’ clubs where one gentleman keeps a pedophile rapist’s secrets. Then Andrew and his team offered on-the-record statements:

Furious Prince Andrew launched an extraordinary public fightback today after US authorities made a formal request for him to be quizzed over the Jeffrey Epstein affair. The Duke of York released a bundle of bombshell evidence this afternoon as he hit back in the strongest possible terms at claims he has failed to engage with the American investigation. In an explosive letter, his legal team gave an account of their dealings with the US Department of Justice, claiming he has offered to be a witness three times this year.

Among the allegations raised in the document by the Duke’s lawyers were that: The Department of Justice had been ‘breaching their own confidentiality rules’; The DoJ had falsely claimed that the Duke has ‘offered zero co-operation’; The DoJ were more interested in ‘seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered’; An attempt by the DOJ to seek mutual legal assistance from the Home Office would be ‘disappointing’.

They said the DoJ has been ‘investigating Mr Epstein and other targets for more than 16 years, yet the first time they requested the Duke’s help was on January 2, 2020’. There has been some confusion over what the US is requesting against what Andrew is offering – with the Duke’s lawyers saying he has offered to provide a witness statement, but the US prosecutors said to be hoping to question him under oath.

In Andrew’s statement, the eighth-in-line-to-the-throne’s team at London-based lawyers added that the DoJ ‘reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero co-operation’. They continued by saying of the DoJ: ‘In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered.’

In the statement, issued shortly after 3.30pm this afternoon, the firm of lawyers said Andrew had offered to assist the DoJ three times this year and the authority first requested his help on January 2. They said: ‘Importantly, the DoJ advised us that the duke is not and has never been a ‘target’ of their criminal investigations into Epstein and that they sought his confidential, voluntary co-operation. In the course of these discussions, we asked the DoJ to confirm that our co-operation and any interview arrangements would remain confidential, in accordance with the ordinary rules that apply to voluntary co-operation with the DoJ. We were given an unequivocal assurance that our discussions and the interview process would remain confidential. The Duke of York has on at least three occasions this year offered his assistance as a witness to the DOJ. Unfortunately, the DOJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero co-operation. In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered. ‘

[From The Daily Mail]

My non-lawyer reading of this is that Andrew’s lawyers listened to the DOJ’s requests for a formal interview and they said “well, you’re not getting that, but he’ll provide you with a lie-filled ‘witness statement’ at any time” and DOJ was like “LOL nah.” Which means that Andrew is insistent that he was merely an innocent bystander who merely saw a whiff of inappropriate behavior from Epstein, which he will willingly recount in a written statement. The federal prosecutors likely have evidence in hand that Andrew was involved (to varying degrees) with Epstein’s human trafficking and blackmail schemes.

As for this: “They are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered.” This is the same thing Andrew’s lawyers claimed about Epstein’s victims’ civil attorneys too, that they were just clout-chasers looking to make a name for themselves by attacking Andrew. That argument falls flat when it’s federal f–king prosecutors though.

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York issued this statement – again, Andrew is offering a “witness statement,” probably written. The USA for SDNY is all “bish, we’re going to need an INTERVIEW.” Andrew is lying his ass off.

pic.twitter.com/KUKvXQsrzd

— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) June 8, 2020

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.