WASHINGTON (AP) — Kathryn Ruemmler, the former top lawyer at Goldman Sachs who was White House counsel to President Barack Obama, is being questioned by a House committee Wednesday about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Ruemmler is the latest prominent figure called before the House Oversight Committee as lawmakers investigate the network of powerful people connected with Epstein. The bipartisan inquiry has already included testimony from more than a dozen high-profile witnesses, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former President Bill Clinton, as lawmakers examine how Epstein’s wealth and influence may have helped shield him from scrutiny.
Entering Wednesday’s hearing, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, told reporters that Ruemmler will provide unique insight as one of the few people who was “very close in the last phase of Jeffrey Epstein’s life.”
“I think some of the emails that are in the files are very concerning about how she communicated with Jeffrey Epstein,” he added.
Thousands of documents released by the Justice Department showed that Ruemmler and Epstein had an extensive relationship. The files included personal emails, social plans and gifts that extended beyond formal legal work.
Ruemmler served as White House counsel under Obama from 2011 to 2014 and was briefly considered for attorney general. She served as Goldman Sachs’ general counsel for the past six years before announcing in February that she would step down amid backlash over her correspondence with Epstein.
“It doesn’t really matter if witnesses are Democrats or Republicans. I think we should be going after anyone that caused harm or knows information about the Epstein investigation,” Garcia added.
The released documents showed that the two were close years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction on sex crimes, when he became a registered sex offender. She tried to downplay her relationship in more recent statements, calling him a “monster.” But documents showed she had called Epstein “Uncle Jeffrey” in emails and said she adored him.
Although she said she would step down on June 30, she remains employed by Goldman Sachs.
Ruemmler is the 17th person to testify as part of their broader investigation. Billionaire investor Leon Black was subpoenaed last month after lawmakers said he refused to answer some questions about his yearslong relationship with Epstein.
House Oversight Chair James Comer said Wednesday that Black will appear for a formal deposition on Sept. 3 but that he expects to have Black’s nondisclosure agreements by “the end of the week.”
The committee has also expressed interest in questioning acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whose nomination to permanently lead the Justice Department is pending before the Senate. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi identified Blanche as the department’s point person on the release of the Epstein documents, a process that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny.
“Hopefully Blanche will come in as soon as his confirmation is over,” Comer said.