Former Goldman Sachs Legal Chief Addresses Epstein Connections Before Congressional Panel
Kathy Ruemmler former top lawyer at Goldman – Kathy Ruemmler, a prominent legal figure who held positions as both White House counsel under President Barack Obama and chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, delivered testimony to House investigators on Wednesday regarding her interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During a closed-door session with the House Oversight Committee, which continues its examination of how federal authorities handled multiple investigations into Epstein, Ruemmler stated she observed no indications of criminal behavior throughout her professional relationship with him.
Gifts and Professional Relationship
According to sources who followed her testimony, Ruemmler downplayed the significance of expensive presents Epstein had given her over the years. She characterized these offerings as typical business courtesies, similar to how corporate executives might attend New York Knicks basketball games together or participate in recreational golf outings. While official records indicate she never formally represented Epstein in a legal capacity, documentation within Epstein’s files reveals she regularly offered him guidance on both legal matters and public relations strategy.
When law enforcement arrested Epstein on July 6, 2019, Ruemmler was among the first individuals he contacted by telephone. However, she informed committee members that she ended all communication with Epstein following his arraignment proceedings. She also turned down an opportunity to become part of his legal defense team, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Reflections on Epstein’s Character
“If I knew then what I know now about who Epstein really was, I never would have accepted an initial meeting with him. It was a mistake to deal with him, and I regret it,” Ruemmler told the committee, according to a copy of her prepared remarks reviewed by ABC News.
In her written statement, Ruemmler emphasized that she had never encountered “evidence of ongoing criminal conduct or misconduct of any kind by Epstein” and asserted she would have reported any abuse she witnessed. She described feeling “shocked” when Epstein faced indictment in 2019, noting that the accusations contradicted her understanding of his past behavior.
“I was shocked by the indictment, which alleged that Epstein had intentionally enticed and recruited minor girls to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for cash. Those horrific allegations — which covered conduct that had occurred almost 10 years before I met Epstein — contradicted what I had understood about the nature and scope of that prior conduct,” she said, according to her prepared statement.
Ruemmler acknowledged awareness of Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea to prostitution-related offenses but expressed confidence that the plea agreement represented “a proportionate and final resolution of his criminal conduct.” She noted that prominent associates she knew suggested Epstein had ceased his problematic behavior, and that he appeared to demonstrate “remorse, embarrassment, and regret for his conduct.”
“Epstein was a masterful liar, and he clearly lied to me. I can see now that he used me and other respectable people to legitimize his standing, and I know now that he often exaggerated his relationship with me to others,” she said, according to her prepared remarks.
“I understand how frustrating and hurtful it must have been for anyone victimized by Epstein to see him going about his life without facing the type of accountability and consequences that he deserved. I am angry that he hurt so many people, and I regret ever having anything to do with him.”
Committee Skepticism
Ranking Democratic Representative Robert Garcia voiced reservations about certain aspects of Ruemmler’s testimony when speaking with journalists during a recess. He suggested she might not have been entirely forthcoming with the committee.
“I think it is difficult to see how she’s being completely truthful in there with the answers that she’s giving the committee,” Garcia said, adding that he felt she was “unwilling to take any responsibility for her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.”
Garcia pointed out that Ruemmler maintained contact with Epstein even after his 2019 conviction, noting she was among the final individuals he communicated with before his death. She continued to interact with him during this period, remaining friendly and even making lighthearted comments about massages, Garcia observed.
The photograph accompanying the report shows Ruemmler arriving at Capitol Hill in Washington on July 15, 2026, for her interview with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, captured by Reuters photographer Al Drago.
