Kathryn Ruemmler, previously serving as White House counsel during the Obama administration, has stepped down from her role at Goldman Sachs due to connections with the convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
Ruemmler, who held the position of general counsel at Goldman, announced her decision to resign this summer after the Justice Department released emails revealing her interactions with Epstein, as reported by The Financial Times.
“I concluded that the heightened media focus on my past work as a defense attorney was becoming too distracting,” Ruemmler explained to the publication.
She is set to leave the company by June 30.
Goldman Sachs CEO David M. Solomon issued a statement acknowledging her resignation and expressing his respect for her choice.
“During her time with us, Kathy has been an exceptional general counsel, and we appreciate her valuable contributions and wise counsel on numerous significant legal issues for the firm,” Solomon remarked.
Ruemmler rose to the top ranks at Wall Street and became a key adviser to Solomon following a storied legal career, which included serving as White House counsel to former President Barack Obama, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Executives at the firm had previously claimed that Ruemmler had a strictly professional relationship with the financier, as she argued she never represented Epstein or advocated for him – though he would occasionally ask for her advice.
She has said she regretted ever knowing Epstein and had no knowledge of any new or ongoing illegal activity.
But the latest release of Epstein files shows Ruemmler hailing ‘wonderful Jeffrey’ in emails dated December 25 and 26, 2015, six years after he served 13 months in prison prostituting an underage girl.
Kathryn Ruemmler, who works as general counsel at Goldman, said she will resign this summer
She previously served as White House counsel to former President Barack Obama. She is pictured left with then-Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Joe Biden, Obama, Director of OMB Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Chief of Staff in 2013
She was even in the courtroom when Epstein was arraigned on sex trafficking charges in 2019, and he once even listed her as a backup executor of his will.
Their relationship apparently began around the time Ruemmler left the Obama administration in 2014.
In one correspondence dated September 19, 2014, Epstein told her, ‘You need to talk to boss.’
Ruemmler, who had left the Obama White House about three months earlier, according to her LinkedIn page, replied: ‘Agreed, but I need to be prepared to say yes before I talk to him.’
‘Understood,’ Epstein said. ‘It comes down to high risk / reward / low risk / reward. professional, emotional. and fiinancial [sic].’
She responded that ‘most girls do not have to worry about this crap.’
Epstein shot back: ‘Girls? Careful i will renew an old habit.’
He then listed a group of people he was apparently set to meet with ‘this week,’ including Peter Thiel, Larry Summers, Bill Burns, former British prime minister Gordon Brown, Leon Black and ‘Woody.’
‘Also if you think there are interesting people in town, everyone here for climate summit, clinton ,security council,’ Epstein added.
Ruemmler rose to the top ranks at Wall Street and became a key adviser to Goldman Sachs CEO David M Solomon following a storied legal career
Ruemmler’s relationship with Epstein apparently began around the time she left the Obama administration in 2014
Messages from February 2017 also showed Ruemmler disparaging President Donald Trump, calling him ‘so gross.’
‘Worse in real life and upclose,’ he said.
Ruemmler’s name is also featured hundreds of times in a log of emails between Epstein and his lawyers, which runs to more than 500 pages.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
