No official U.S. approach to quiz Prince Andrew over Epstein, UK PM says

By Michael Holden

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prince Andrew leaves St. Mary the Virgin church in Hillington, near royal Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, Britain January 19, 2020. REUTERS/Chris Radburn/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities have not made an official approach to the British government for permission to speak to Prince Andrew about his contacts with the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

 

U.S. prosecutors want to question the British prince over his contacts with Epstein, who was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking minors when he died last August in a New York City federal prison.

 

However, they have said Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son, had repeatedly evaded their requests for an interview and reiterated their desire to speak to him on Thursday after they arrested British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of Epstein.

 

Lawyers for Andrew, who met Epstein through his friendship with Maxwell, say he has offered his help three times this year.

 

Asked what the response would be if U.S. officials sought formal access to the prince, whose official title is the Duke of York, Johnson said: "No such approach has been made. It's a matter for the royal family."

 

He added: "Everybody's sympathies are very much with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein but you wouldn't expect me to comment on matters affecting the royal family."

 

"The law must carried out and the law must be observed," he told LBC radio.

 

In June, then-U.S. Attorney for Manhattan Geoffrey Berman said Andrew had "sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate" with their inquiry.

 

At the same time, a U.S. law enforcement official confirmed to Reuters that U.S. authorities investigating Epstein had sent the British government a formal request, known as a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) submission, asking for access to the prince.

 

After Maxwell was arrested and charged on Thursday with luring underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse, acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: "We would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us."

 

Andrew's legal team have accused the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) of seeking publicity rather than his help, rejecting accusations he had offered "zero cooperation."

 

"The Duke’s team remains bewildered given that we have twice communicated with the DOJ in the last month, and to-date, we have had no response," a source close to Andrew's team said in response to Strauss's remarks.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-03

 

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Whats the problem here ! fax the questions over ,answer them and be done with it!

42 minutes ago, riclag said:

Whats the problem here ! fax the questions over ,answer them and be done with it!

Given trump's fawning over the Queen, you know he just adores monarchies, one could viable assume US govt wouldn't officially put pressure on the Royal Family.

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

Given trump's fawning over the Queen, you know he just adores monarchies, one could viable assume US govt wouldn't officially put pressure on the Royal Family.

One does not pressure the Queen. She will sic the corgis on you.

If Ghislaine Maxwell isn't "suicided," I believe her testimony will shed new light. She's being sent to the same jail where Epstein "suicided" himself. What could possible go wrong?

Funny old Game. Indiscretions seem to be the Key to Power in Latino Countries. Clinton would still be President if elected in Italy or France.

The State Department has rejected a request from London to hand over a U.S. diplomat's wife who fled the U.K. last year after she was involved in a head-on car crash that killed a young British man. According to local police, Anne Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit 19-year-old Harry Dunn, riding a motorbike, on Aug. 27 in Northamptonshire, in central England. A State Department spokesperson, who called it a "tragic" accident, said Sacoolas had "immunity from criminal jurisdiction.

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Straight from killing the kid on his bike, to Heathrow airport--and safely back in the arms of the CIA.

 

I am not condoning what Andrew is accused of---but the CIA giving diplomatic passports to their agents, so any crime they commit is OK.  Surly the Royal family have a diplomatic passport. Whatever Ms Maxwell says.......if she gets to talk

 

Probably do a deal give us Julian and we'll forget about him.

 

Why doesn’t the DOJ start a little closer to home and ask Bill Clinton and Bill Gates to come in and “assist” them. Clinton is listed on 27 flight manifests of the Lolita express. Gates Has been shown in pictures with Epstein like Andrew so.....

 

The conspiracy theory advocates out there say that Epstein and Maxwell have ties to Israeli intelligence and this was the most successful honey trap operations since they sent in Delilah to cut off Samson’s hair.

 

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: "We would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us."

And were he to pop over, he could quite possibly end up being detained - they just couldn't resist it! He and his legal team know that. It also appears that there is no case for extraditing him.

 

Were he plain Mr Andrew Windsor he would simply have been asked for an interview to his local police station, given a statement, which would have duly been despatched to the US.

 

I have no particular regard for The Duke of York, yet from what his legal team say it appears that he has made himself available to answer their questions from the UK, and they have made no attempt to ask any.

 

Is not the job of District Attorney often regarded as a stepping stone to political office? A high profile scalp would be a jolly good "leg up"!

1 minute ago, heybuz said:

Probably do a deal give us Julian and we'll forget about him.

You KNOW Ghislaine has a stockpile of "Get out of jail free" documents tucked in somewhere. I imagine there are some folks had to change their Depends after they heard this.

30 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

Funny old Game. Indiscretions seem to be the Key to Power in Latino Countries. Clinton would still be President if elected in Italy or France.

'Indiscretions' when using trafficked underage girls for sex?

18 minutes ago, AJBangkok said:

Why doesn’t the DOJ start a little closer to home and ask Bill Clinton and Bill Gates to come in and “assist” them. Clinton is listed on 27 flight manifests of the Lolita express. Gates Has been shown in pictures with Epstein like Andrew so.....<SNIP>

trump?

 

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/eric-trump-tweet-clinton-epstein-connection-backfires-2020-7?r=US&IR=T

4 hours ago, riclag said:

Whats the problem here ! fax the questions over ,answer them and be done with it!

Then fax the answers back. No comment. As with any person, he is under no obligation to answer anything.

Don't know why Boris is getting involved. 

 

Leave it to Andrew and his mum to sort out.

17 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Then fax the answers back. No comment. As with any person, he is under no obligation to answer anything.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss could get off her rear end and take her shiny badge over to London. Oops! No jurisdiction. How sad!

Well then, make an official request. Sadly, we don't have enough evidence for that. We're just fishing!

Sorry. We're negotiating fishing rights with the EU, at the moment, not the USA. Bye.

 

1 minute ago, newatthis said:

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss could get off her rear end and take her shiny badge over to London. Oops! No jurisdiction. How sad!

Well then, make an official request. Sadly, we don't have enough evidence for that. We're just fishing!

Sorry. We're negotiating fishing rights with the EU, at the moment, not the USA. Bye.

 

If Ghislaine Maxwell isn't "suicided," they may have PLENTY of evidence. If . . .

As with many investigations of this type, there is probably a lot more the public/press could be told but won't be...at least not yet. Why not interview Prince Andrew on English soil as I'm sure the US investigators could get permission for that albeit with if's and but's. If the US authorities then deem further interviews / indictment then these might restrict the Prince's travel outside UK and UK authorities could consider a response. Too simple I suppose...oh well

7 minutes ago, J Town said:

If Ghislaine Maxwell isn't "suicided," they may have PLENTY of evidence. If . . .

One lot of 'tell all' discs are in Russia. Ghislaine has probably been getting together as much as possible and giving them to Israel for safe keeping. The FBI also have evidence. 

37 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Don't know why Boris is getting involved. 

 

Leave it to Andrew and his mum to sort out.

Which is exactly what the Prime Minister said: " No such approach has been made. It's a matter for the royal family."

 

He added: "Everybody's sympathies are very much with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein but you wouldn't expect me to comment on matters affecting the royal family."

I'm waiting for the News, that Maxwell has Rolled, and done a Plea bargain.

- giving the US Dodgers, the DOJ, the impetus to Press Further for a game winning goal

9 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Which is exactly what the Prime Minister said: " No such approach has been made. It's a matter for the royal family."

 

He added: "Everybody's sympathies are very much with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein but you wouldn't expect me to comment on matters affecting the royal family."

He should be careful what he says. One wrong word and that sword could have a mind of its own some time in the future.

 

Andrew is the queen's favourite after all. I wonder if she looked out of her window when he was entertaining Ghislaine at the palace. Evidently the lawn, where the tea parties were held, was in her full view.

I really have doubts she will say anything against Andrew-------name other names, yes I think she will.

6 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

I really have doubts she will say anything against Andrew.

Why not?

32 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

He should be careful what he says. One wrong word and that sword could have a mind of its own some time in the future.

 

Andrew is the queen's favourite after all. I wonder if she looked out of her window when he was entertaining Ghislaine at the palace. Evidently the lawn, where the tea parties were held, was in her full view.

or shadowed behind a statue at the centre of the tea party?  

 

7 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

The State Department has rejected a request from London to hand over a U.S. diplomat's wife who fled the U.K. last year after she was involved in a head-on car crash that killed a young British man. According to local police, Anne Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road when she hit 19-year-old Harry Dunn, riding a motorbike, on Aug. 27 in Northamptonshire, in central England. A State Department spokesperson, who called it a "tragic" accident, said Sacoolas had "immunity from criminal jurisdiction.

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Straight from killing the kid on his bike, to Heathrow airport--and safely back in the arms of the CIA.

 

I am not condoning what Andrew is accused of---but the CIA giving diplomatic passports to their agents, so any crime they commit is OK.  Surly the Royal family have a diplomatic passport. Whatever Ms Maxwell says.......if she gets to talk

 

It's called American exceptionalism. The masters of the universe, as Chomsky calls the corporate, political military imperialist regime that rules the pseudo-democratic US of A, and dictates to the rest of the world do not subject themselves to the same moral and legal standards as they require of the rest of the world. 

Well, maybe in a few decades it will be largely replaced by Chinese exceptionalism.

23 hours ago, J Town said:

Why not?

No--no hard evidence J town....just reading UK newspapers which are quoting "Sources" --which usually means they sat down & wrote it themselves. Maybe she will..

 

The two prison guards tasked with keeping a close eye on Mrs. Maxwell have been given a special dispensation allowing them to bring their Labradors to work. ....................................

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

No--no hard evidence J town.

I strongly suspect she can corroborate Epstein's little black book, as entrenched as she was in the whole business. Fragile flowers like her can't do well in the grey bar hotel, I bet she'd do anything, cut any deal, to keep herself out.

On 7/4/2020 at 10:55 AM, TKDfella said:

As with many investigations of this type, there is probably a lot more the public/press could be told but won't be...at least not yet. Why not interview Prince Andrew on English soil as I'm sure the US investigators could get permission for that albeit with if's and but's. If the US authorities then deem further interviews / indictment then these might restrict the Prince's travel outside UK and UK authorities could consider a response. Too simple I suppose...oh well

Because no matter what US or UK does, he doesnt have to talk to them. At all.