NEW YORK, July 15 - Kathryn Ruemmler, a senior counsel at Goldman Sachs who recently relinquished her titles as chief legal officer and general counsel, is set to face detailed questioning from members of Congress on Wednesday regarding her interactions with Jeffrey Epstein. The testimony will occur before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform as part of that panel's review of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Justice Department documents made public earlier this year indicate Ruemmler maintained a substantial volume of communications with Epstein between 2014 and 2019. The records say she accepted gifts from Epstein and advised him on how to handle media inquiries about his criminal conduct. Those documents were a precipitating factor in Ruemmler's decision to step away from her chief legal officer and general counsel responsibilities at the end of June, pending the appointment of a replacement.
Epstein, who died in a New York City jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, had long-standing connections to numerous prominent figures across politics, finance, academia and business - including President Donald Trump. His death was ruled a suicide.
The coming hearing has renewed attention on Goldman Sachs because some lawmakers questioned the bank's choice to retain Ruemmler in an advisory capacity after the Justice Department materials surfaced. In June, Goldman CEO David Solomon told CNBC that Ruemmler had informed him that press coverage of her past legal work had made it difficult for her to perform her duties and that she felt it was time to step back. Solomon also said that she agreed to stay on as senior counsel in an advisory role until a new chief legal officer was appointed.
Goldman Sachs declined to provide further comment on the matter. Ruemmler did not respond to a request for comment.
Ruemmler's spokesperson has reiterated a prior statement asserting she did nothing wrong and that, when she interacted with Epstein as a practicing criminal defense attorney, she had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal activity by him.
The oversight committee's inquiry has extended to interviews with a number of high-profile figures. The panel has spoken with former President Bill Clinton, Commerce Secretary and former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates as part of its broader probe into Epstein and Maxwell.
Context of the hearing
The scheduled testimony places Ruemmler back under public and governmental scrutiny following the disclosure of Justice Department materials that detail her communications and gifts accepted from Epstein. The committee's examination is focused on the network around Epstein and how individuals in positions of influence engaged with him.
Corporate response and criticism
Goldman's choice to have Ruemmler continue in an advisory capacity until a replacement was installed drew criticism from some members of Congress, who have questioned whether that arrangement was appropriate given the contents of the Justice Department documents. The firm has otherwise declined to expand on its internal decisions.
Legal and reputational matters
Ruemmler's spokesperson maintains she acted appropriately and without awareness of ongoing criminal behavior when she advised Epstein during her work as a criminal defense lawyer. The forthcoming congressional questioning is expected to explore the nature of her communications and any advice she provided to Epstein about handling public scrutiny.