Kathryn Ruemmler, who previously served as White House counsel during Barack Obama's presidency, is scheduled to appear before the US House committee on oversight and reform today. Her testimony forms part of the committee's ongoing investigation into the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, and her connections to him.
Ruemmler's ties to Epstein came under intense scrutiny earlier this year after her name surfaced thousands of times within records released by the US Justice Department under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. In February, she announced her resignation from her position as chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, a move that became effective on 30 June.
Correspondence between Ruemmler and Epstein, spanning from 2014 to 2019 – years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to Florida state prostitution charges involving a minor – revealed a close relationship. Emails showed Ruemmler accepting luxury gifts, using affectionate terms like “Uncle Jeffrey” and “sweetie,” and advising him on how to address questions concerning his sex crimes. A document also indicated she was at one point listed as a backup executor of his will, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal.
In an interview published in the New York Times in June, Ruemmler explained that her initial connection with Epstein was in 2014, following her departure from the White House, when Epstein contacted her about a potential opportunity involving Bill Gates. She expressed deep regret, stating she “did not appreciate at the time” that Epstein was using her, among many others, to legitimise his standing. Ruemmler maintained that if she had ever witnessed or heard anything suggesting Epstein was harming women or girls, she would have intervened.
Despite her announced resignation from her chief legal officer role, reports from June by the Financial Times and Bloomberg suggested Ruemmler agreed to continue at Goldman Sachs in an advisory capacity. This decision, reportedly at the request of CEO David Solomon, drew criticism from some US lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi. They sent a letter to Solomon in June, questioning the decision and seeking information about what Ruemmler had disclosed regarding her relationship with Epstein before joining the firm. Goldman Sachs has declined to comment on the matter.
A spokesperson for Ruemmler stated this week that she “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee.” They added that at the time of her interactions with Epstein, she was a practising criminal defence attorney who shared a client with him, asserting she had “done nothing wrong and had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal activity on his part.” Today’s interview will be conducted behind closed doors, with the committee expected to release a transcript at a later date, consistent with their practice for previous witnesses.