Kathryn Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs’ senior counsel, is set to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday, as lawmakers scrutinize her past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The hearing comes after documents released by the Justice Department revealed previously undisclosed contacts between Ruemmler and Epstein, prompting renewed criticism of Goldman Sachs’ decision to retain her in an advisory role. Ruemmler stepped down as Goldman Sachs’ chief legal officer and general counsel at the end of June, following the release of the documents.
Her continued involvement with the bank has drawn criticism from some members of Congress, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who stated that Congress must use Ruemmler’s testimony to investigate how Epstein built and maintained his wealth and influence while operating a sex trafficking operation. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has been investigating Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and the federal government’s handling of the cases.
The committee has issued subpoenas and interview requests to several people with ties to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Justice Department records show that Ruemmler exchanged numerous communications with Epstein between 2014 and 2019, and accepted gifts from him. The records also indicate that she advised Epstein on how to respond to media inquiries about his criminal cases.
Furthermore, Epstein called Ruemmler’s cellphone on July 6, 2019, the day he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges, according to law enforcement notes cited in the records. Ruemmler’s spokesperson has stated that she did nothing improper and had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal activity by Epstein while interacting with him as a practicing criminal defense attorney. Additionally, the spokesperson noted that the July 2019 phone call was brief and that Ruemmler took no action afterward.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California plans to question Ruemmler about what she knew regarding people connected to Epstein’s crimes. In a June letter to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Krishnamoorthi and Sen.
Elizabeth Warren criticized the bank’s decision to keep Ruemmler, arguing it raised questions about the bank’s due diligence and whether it viewed her relationship with Epstein as appropriate. Epstein’s death in a New York jail in 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, was ruled a suicide. Ruemmler is expected to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday.
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