Kathryn Ruemmler, the former chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday for a closed-door interview. The hearing focused on her past professional and personal ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ruemmler resigned from her executive position in June after Justice Department documents detailed her communication and receipt of gifts from Epstein, though she remains an advisor to the firm as senior counsel.
In a publicly released opening statement, Ruemmler stated she never witnessed criminal conduct during her interactions with Epstein and would have contacted law enforcement had she known of any abuse. She described her professional relationship with Epstein as beginning through a client referral and characterized him as a "masterful liar" who exaggerated their connection to others. Ruemmler noted that she ceased all communication with him following his 2019 sex trafficking indictment.
Lawmakers on the committee expressed differing views on the testimony. Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat, told reporters he believed Ruemmler was not being fully forthright and noted the testimony was not given under oath. Some lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have previously questioned Goldman Sachs' decision to retain Ruemmler in an advisory capacity. The committee's investigation into Epstein's associates has previously included interviews with figures such as Bill Clinton, Howard Lutnick, and Bill Gates.