Kathryn Ruemmler, the former top lawyer at Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, testified Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee regarding her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Ruemmler is the latest prominent figure called as part of a bipartisan inquiry into the network of powerful people connected to Epstein, an investigation that has already included testimony from former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Justice Department documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act revealed that Ruemmler and Epstein maintained an extensive relationship involving personal emails, social plans, and gifts that went beyond formal legal work. The records show this relationship continued years after Epstein's 2008 conviction on sex crimes. Although Ruemmler recently called Epstein a monster, documents indicate she previously referred to him as Uncle Jeffrey and said she adored him.
In her testimony, Ruemmler stated that it was a mistake to deal with Epstein but insisted she never witnessed criminal activities and had no knowledge of ongoing criminal activity. Following backlash over her correspondence with Epstein, Ruemmler announced in February that she would resign as Goldman Sachs' chief legal officer effective June 30, although she remains employed by the firm.
The House Oversight Committee continues to widen its probe, with Ruemmler serving as one of the witnesses. Billionaire investor Leon Black has been subpoenaed for a formal deposition on September 3 and is required to produce nondisclosure agreements. The committee has also expressed interest in questioning acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department's point person on the release of the Epstein documents, whose nomination to lead the department is pending before the Senate.