Goldman Lawyer Tells Congress Epstein Emails Were Misinterpreted

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s former general counsel has defended her association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before US lawmakers, saying he was a “masterful liar” who used her and others to enhance his reputation.

Kathryn Ruemmler, who stepped down as the investment bank’s top lawyer in June, told the House Oversight Committee that she regrets communicating with Epstein and that several of their exchanges have been misrepresented or taken out of context.

According to prepared remarks seen by Bloomberg News, Ruemmler said she interacted with Epstein “in the ordinary course — casually, informally and sometimes irreverently” but insisted that many of their emails did not carry the meaning that has been attributed to them.

“Many of my emails with Epstein have been taken out of context or do not mean what some have speculated or suggested,” Ruemmler said in her statement to the committee.

Describing Epstein as “a masterful liar”, she said: “He clearly lied to me. I can see now that he used me and other respectable people to legitimise his standing.”

Ruemmler, a former White House counsel under President Barack Obama, joined Goldman Sachs in 2020 and has remained with the bank as a senior counsellor, helping executives identify her successor. Goldman Chief Executive Officer David Solomon has defended the decision to retain her in that role.

During her earlier career in private practice, Ruemmler frequently communicated with Epstein, advised him on legal and reputational matters and accepted gifts worth thousands of dollars from him, according to emails released by the government over the past year.

Some correspondence showed Ruemmler referring to Epstein by nicknames such as “Uncle Jeffrey” and questioning the credibility of some women who accused him of sexual offences.

Ahead of the closed-door hearing, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said lawmakers were particularly concerned about whether Ruemmler helped restore Epstein’s public image. He also highlighted her connections to Obama and her discussions with Epstein about the possibility of becoming the former president’s attorney general.

“She’s a very powerful person who was probably more involved in working with him to rehabilitate his image,” Comer told reporters, arguing that such actions may have made it harder for Epstein to face accountability.

Ruemmler told lawmakers that she interacted with Epstein because they shared a mutual client and said she had no knowledge of any “criminal conduct or misconduct” by him at the time. She added that, had she become aware of such behaviour, she would have immediately reported it to law enforcement.

She also said Epstein’s 2019 indictment exposed details about his activities that were not available to her during the period when she knew him.

“Many people assume that given everything we know now about Epstein, everyone who dealt with him before his 2019 indictment must have known everything then,” Ruemmler said. “In my case, that assumption is completely wrong.”

Ruemmler has faced criticism from senior lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi. In June, they wrote to Goldman CEO David Solomon, arguing that retaining Ruemmler raised questions about his “professional judgement and fitness” to continue leading one of the world’s largest banks.

On Tuesday, the lawmakers sent another letter to Ruemmler and Solomon, calling Goldman’s earlier response “insufficient”. They sought further details about her new role, compensation package and involvement in selecting her successor.

A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment on the latest letter.

 

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