Kathryn Ruemmler, former White House counsel under President Obama, will appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday to address her connections to Jeffrey Epstein as part of an inquiry into the convicted sex offender’s activities.
Ruemmler’s involvement emerged following the release of Epstein-related records under the Justice Department’s Epstein Files Transparency Act. In February 2023, she resigned as Goldman Sachs’ chief legal officer, citing the need to focus on personal matters.
Correspondence between Ruemmler and Epstein from 2014 to 2019—despite Epstein’s prior conviction for state-level sex crimes—reveals a pattern of interaction. Documents indicate she accepted gifts from Epstein, used informal address (“Uncle Jeffrey,” “sweetie”), and advised him on managing inquiries about his legal troubles, including being listed as a potential executor of his will, per the Wall Street Journal.
A 2015 email from Ruemmler to Epstein reads: “Friendships go two ways—securing peace regarding these legal matters is important to me.” This reflects her later expressed regret for not intervening if she had known Epstein was harming women.
Ruemmler connected with Epstein in 2014 post-White House, per a June New York Times essay. She stated: “If I had seen or heard of anything suggesting Epstein harmed women, I would have acted. I now deeply regret using my position to assist him.”
The committee’s closed-door session will follow prior protocols, with a transcript released later. A representative for Ruemmler stated she welcomes the opportunity to clarify her role, emphasizing she was a practicing attorney at the time and had no awareness of ongoing criminal behavior.
Despite resigning from Goldman Sachs in February 2023, reports in June noted she remained in an advisory capacity under CEO David Solomon. This decision drew criticism from lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who pointed to DoJ documents suggesting a deeper Epstein relationship than initially disclosed. Goldman Sachs has not commented.
