Former Obama Counsel Faces House Oversight Committee Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties

On July 15 2026, former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler appeared voluntarily before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee for a closed-door interview. She was not sworn in under oath but was reminded that false statements to Congress can lead to criminal prosecution. Ruemmler, then chief legal officer of Goldman Sachs, said she first met Jeffrey Epstein in 2014 while heading the white-collar defense group at Latham & Watkins. She described the relationship as informal advice-seeking, noting that Epstein was never her client and that she “didn’t see any evidence of ongoing criminal conduct or misconduct of any kind by Epstein.”

CNN

Ruemmler left the Obama administration in 2014, joined Latham & Watkins, and in 2020 moved to Goldman Sachs, where she was promoted to chief legal officer. Email records released by the Justice Department show she discussed a “day trip” to Epstein’s private island in January 2017 and later considered helping with post-hurricane cleanup. The same files reveal personal messages ending with “xo” and “xoxo,” as well as exchanges about gifts Epstein offered. Ruemmler later declined several gifts, stating they were “not important” to her. In February 2026 she announced she would resign from Goldman Sachs by June 30 amid the fallout from the Justice Department’s release of Epstein documents.

CNN

House Oversight Chair James Comer warned that Ruemmler’s work “was probably more involved in working with him to rehabilitate his image, which … has made it more difficult for him to be held accountable.” Top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Robert Garcia, emphasized that the inquiry seeks “truth and answers” regardless of party affiliation and questioned Ruemmler’s credibility, calling it “problematic” that she testified without being under oath.

CNN

Democratic members expressed concern that Ruemmler’s continued advice to Epstein “was clearly a friend” and that her testimony might be “incomplete” without oath-bound testimony. Critics also highlighted Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon’s reported effort to retain Ruemmler after her resignation announcement, suggesting institutional pressure to shield her from further scrutiny.

CNN

• “If I knew then what I know now about who Epstein really was, I never would have accepted an initial meeting with him. It was a mistake to deal with him, and I regret it,” — Kathy Ruemmler

CNN

• “masterful liar” — Kathy Ruemmler

CNN

• “On the gifts specifically, Ruemmer said, “I didn’t ask for them, didn’t need them, and didn’t view them as particularly personal or consequential.” — Kathy Ruemmler

CNN

• “ House Oversight Chair James Comer said prior to the start of the interview, “she’s a very powerful person that was probably more involved in working with him to rehabilitate his image, which I would argue has made it more difficult for him to be held accountable.” — James Comer

CNN

• “I think it is difficult to see how she is being completely truthful in there with the answers that she is giving the committee.” — Robert Garcia

CNN