Kathryn Ruemmler

Kathryn Ruemmler
Ruemmler in 2013
White House Counsel
In office
June 30, 2011 – June 2, 2014
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byRobert Bauer
Succeeded byNeil Eggleston
Personal details
Born (1971-04-19) April 19, 1971
Richland, Washington, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Washington (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

Kathryn H. Ruemmler (born April 19, 1971) is an American attorney who was principal deputy White House counsel and then White House Counsel to President Barack Obama.[1] Previously a partner at Latham and Watkins co-chairing its white-collar defense group,[2] Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs in 2020 and was Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel.[3] She announced her resignation from this position in February 2026, effective at the end of June, over her links to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.[4][5][6]

Early life and education

Her parents moved to Richland, Washington in 1969, and she was born there in 1971.[7] Her father was a computer engineer, working in the Hanford area, and her mother worked at Battelle, a research laboratory.[7] Both parents worked in "nuclear issues ... all government contract and classified".[7] Her father died in 2012, after which her mother moved to Scottsdale, Arizona.[7]

A graduate of Richland High School in Richland,[8][9] Ruemmler earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Washington,[10] and a juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.[11] She was editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Law Journal.[11]

Career

Ruemmler clerked for Judge Timothy K. Lewis on the Third Circuit in 1996 and 1997 .[12] From 2000 to 2001, she was Associate Counsel to President Clinton. She worked as a federal prosecutor from 2001 to 2007, first as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia,[13] and finishing as a deputy director of DOJ's Enron Task Force. In 2006, she delivered the government's closing argument in the trial of former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, both of whom were convicted.[14]

Ruemmler returned to Latham in Washington, D.C., in 2007, this time as a partner.[15][16]

Obama administration

Ruemmler joined the Obama administration in January 2009 as principal associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department. She was promoted to White House Counsel in 2011 following the departure of Robert F. Bauer.[17]

In October 2011, Ruemmler said there was no evidence of the White House intervening in Solyndra's loan guarantee to benefit a campaign donor. Her letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee refused to allow committee Republicans to get access to internal White House communications. The letter denied Republican claims of improper White House influence in the Energy Department's 2009 decision to grant the company a $535 million loan guarantee, and the deal's early 2011 that put private investors ahead of taxpayers for repayment if the company was liquidated.[18]

Over what would have traditionally been the 2011-2012 winter recess of the 112th Congress, the House of Representatives did not assent to recess, specifically to block a recess appointment of Richard Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.[19] As a result, both the House and Senate held pro forma sessions.[20] On January 4, 2012, President Obama claimed authority to appoint Cordray and others under the Recess Appointments Clause. Ruemmler asserted that the appointments were valid, because the pro forma sessions were designed to, "through form, render a constitutional power of the executive obsolete," and that the Senate was for all intents and purposes recessed.[21] Republicans in the Senate disputed the appointments, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stating that Obama had "arrogantly circumvented the American people" and endangered "the Congress's role in providing a check on the excesses of the executive branch." It was expected that there would be a legal challenge to the appointments.[22]

On January 6, 2012, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion regarding recess appointments and pro forma sessions, stating that "[t]he convening of periodic pro forma sessions in which no business is to be conducted does not have the legal effect of interrupting an intrasession recess otherwise long enough to qualify as a 'Recess of the Senate' under the Recess Appointments Clause. In this context, the President therefore has discretion to conclude that the Senate is unavailable to perform its advise-and-consent function and to exercise his power to make recess appointments."[23][24]

After the Supreme Court decided National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius mostly in favor of the Obama administration on June 28, 2012, Ruemmler was the one to inform Obama and his chief of staff, Jack Lew, that the administration's signature Affordable Care Act legislation had mostly been upheld.[8]

In a profile by the Washington Post, it was reported that during negotiations over John Brennan's confirmation as CIA director, according to a White House official, it was Ruemmler who decided that the House and Senate intelligence panels could review the emails about different drafts of the Benghazi talking points without letting them take copies. The administration shifted course in May 2013 by releasing the emails after weeks of controversy over their content.[9]

Post-government

Ruemmler announced that she would be stepping down as White House Counsel in mid-May 2014;[25] she returned to private practice in July 2014.[26]

In September 2014, when Attorney General Eric Holder announced his intention to step down, Ruemmler was speculated as being a potential candidate as the next United States Attorney General.[27][28] She withdrew from consideration the following month, amid speculation that she would have faced a "difficult confirmation process" because of her close friendship with President Obama.[29]

In 2020, Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs as a partner, and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs; in 2021 she was promoted to Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel. She was on the firmwide Management Committee.[30]

Ruemmler was named to the FINRA Board of Governors in 2021, a part-time position.[31] Her term as a member of FINRA Board of Governors expired in August 2023.

Personal life

Design firm Ashe Leandro created a line of furniture named after Ruemmler called "Ruemmler."[32] She is a client of the firm, and the line contains piecemeal elements made of wood (often French oak), leather, silk, and steel.[32][33][34]

Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

After departing her White House counsel position and while once again employed as a partner at Latham & Watkins, Ruemmler was a close associate of and met with Jeffrey Epstein on dozens of occasions between July 2014 and May 2019 according to his schedule[35], well after he had been convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. These meetings included "lunches and dinners with celebrities, apartment hunting, and personal beauty appointments."[36] She was on his schedule for a flight to Paris in 2015 as well as a stop at his home in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2017 but denied that these trips happened, and The Wall Street Journal could not confirm whether they did.[37] She said in 2023: "I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein."[37]

Ruemmler was listed as a backup executor in a January 2019 version of Jeffrey Epstein’s will, a disclosure from Congress showed on September 8, 2025.[38] She maintained an email correspondence with Epstein from 2014 to 2018, at times soliciting his advice regarding a prospective job offer or sharing musings about ordinary Americans, as revealed in emails released by the House Oversight Committee in November 2025.[39][40]

Ruemmler called Epstein "wonderful Jeffrey," "sweetie," and "Uncle Jeffrey," and wrote "I adore him" in a December 2015 email exchange which appears to show Epstein booking and paying for a first-class trip to Europe.[41][42] In other back-and-forth messages with Epstein, Ruemmler expressed gratitude for her "friendship" with Epstein as well as concluding her messages with "xo" and "xoxo."[43] Other emails show her asking Epstein to help her land a job with Facebook and giving him advice as to how to respond to the coverage that his crimes were receiving in media. She also conveyed to Epstein that she was romantically involved with a married associate of his. Epstein gifted Ruemmler $9,400 Hermes bag and a gift card for the spa at Four Seasons in Washington, D.C.. In November 2018, Epstein gifted to Ruemmler, with a retail price of $1,300 Hermes branded Apple Watch. Ruemmler replied "so sweet of Jeffrey". "I would love the 40 mm, stainless Hermes with bleu indigo swift leather double tour."[44] Epstein made the connections to Eva Andersson-Dubin at Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai for Reummler to get her mammograms done.[45] Epstein called Ruemmler the night he was arrested in 2019 according to notes taken by law enforcement.[46]

Ruemmler announced her resignation from Goldman Sachs on February 12, 2026, effective at the end of June 2026, after her Epstein connections were publicly disclosed.[4][47][48]Ruemmler was paid $22.5 million by Goldman Sachs in 2024. Her pay package was increased to $25 million in 2025.[49]

On March 3, 2026, Ruemmler is asked to testify by United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in their investigation of Epstein's crimes.[50]

References

  1. ^ "Former Enron prosecutor Kathy Ruemmler named White House counsel". Houston Chronicle. June 2, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  2. ^ "Kathryn H. Ruemmler". Latham and Watkins. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "Management Committee - Kathryn Ruemmler - Goldman Sachs". Goldman Sachs. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Egan, Matt; Steck, Em (February 13, 2026). "Kathy Ruemmler, top Goldman Sachs lawyer, resigning amid Epstein fallout". CNN. [hhttps://web.archive.org/web/20260214101533/https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/12/politics/kathy-ruemmler-resigns-goldman-sachs-epstein-fallout/ Archived] from the original on February 14, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  5. ^ Mangan, Dan (February 12, 2026). "Epstein files: Goldman Sachs top lawyer Kathy Ruemmler to step down after email fallout". CNBC. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  6. ^ Azhar, Saeed; Thomas, Chris (February 13, 2026). "Top Goldman Sachs lawyer Ruemmler resigns after Epstein disclosures". Reuters. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d Now, Ms (September 24, 2019). "Transcript: Kathy Ruemmler". MS NOW. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Top Enron Trial Prosecutor Started out in Richland". KNDU. April 17, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  9. ^ a b Rucker, Philip; Eilperin, Juliet (May 27, 2013). "White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler: From outsider to protector of the presidency". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  10. ^ "Top Enron Trial Prosecutor Started out in Richland". NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima. May 26, 2006. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  11. ^ a b The White House: Office of the Press Secretary (June 2, 2011). "President Obama Announces New White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2011 – via National Archives.
  12. ^ "Kathryn Ruemmler". 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  13. ^ Johnson, Carrie (January 18, 2006). "Taking Enron to Task". Washington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  14. ^ "Closing arguments start in Enron trial". CBC. May 15, 2006. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  15. ^ "People". New York Times. February 2, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  16. ^ "Annother Prosecutor Moves to Greener Pastures of Private Law". New York Times. February 2, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  17. ^ Calmes, Jackie (May 26, 2013). "President's Lawyer Finds Herself Center Stage for Once". New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  18. ^ Geman, Ben (October 15, 2011). "White House counsel: No evidence that Solyndra aid was gift to donors". The Hill. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  19. ^ Beutler, Brian (January 4, 2012). "GOP Furious As Obama Recess Appoints Cordray". TPM. Talking Points Memo. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  20. ^ Mcconnell, Michael (January 10, 2012). "Democrats and Executive Overreach". The Wall Street Journal.
  21. ^ Savage, Charlie (January 4, 2012). "Obama Tempts Fight Over Recess Appointments". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  22. ^ Pelofsky, Jeremy (January 5, 2012). "Analysis: Obama consumer chief decision under a legal cloud". Reuters. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  23. ^ "DOJ Office of Legal Counsel: Opinions by Date and Title". Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  24. ^ "Lawfulness of Recess Appointments During a Recess of the Senate Notwithstanding Periodic Pro Forma Sessions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 18, 2012.
  25. ^ Savage, Charlie (April 6, 2014). "Departing White House Counsel Held Powerful Sway". The New York Times.
  26. ^ "Former White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler to Rejoin Latham & Watkins". Latham & Watkins LLP. May 20, 2014.
  27. ^ Matt Apuzzo & Michael D. Shear (September 25, 2014). "Attorney General Eric Holder, Prominent Liberal Voice in Obama Administration, Is Resigning". The New York Times. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  28. ^ Camia, Catalina (September 25, 2014). "After Eric Holder: Potential attorney general choices". USA Today. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  29. ^ Berman, Russell (October 24, 2014). "The President's Top Lawyer Doesn't Want to Be His Attorney General". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  30. ^ American Law Institute. ""Kathryn Ruemmler"". American Law Institute. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  31. ^ "FINRA: Current Board Members".
  32. ^ a b Lilah Ramzi (October 31, 2018). "Interior Firm Ashe Leandro Pays Homage to Design Greats With a New Line of Furniture". Vogue.
  33. ^ Hadley Keller (November 2, 2018). "Ashe + Leandro Launches a Quietly Beautiful Furniture Collection". Architectural Digest.
  34. ^ Florsheim, Lane (October 29, 2018). "The Interior Designers Behind Ashe Leandro Couldn't Find the Furniture They Wanted, So They Made Their Own Line". The Wall Street Journal.
  35. ^ "June 23, 2014 meeting with Jeffrey Epstein email" (PDF).
  36. ^ Steck, Em; Kaczynski, Andrew (December 11, 2025). "Former Obama White House attorney dismissed report on abuse allegations and advised Epstein media strategy". CNN. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  37. ^ a b Safdar, Khadeeja; Benoit, David (April 30, 2023). "Epstein's Private Calendar Reveals Prominent Names, Including CIA Chief, Goldman's Top Lawyer". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  38. ^ Andriotis, AnnaMaria (September 9, 2025). "Epstein Once Listed Goldman's General Counsel as an Executor on His Will". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  39. ^ "Epstein emails with reference to Kathryn Ruemmler" (PDF). House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  40. ^ Giridharadas, Anand (November 23, 2025). "How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  41. ^ Copeland, Rob; Farrell, Maureen; Hirsch, Lauren; Nguyen, Duy (February 12, 2026). "Goldman's Top Lawyer Departs Amid Revelations About Her Ties to Epstein". The New York Times. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  42. ^ Andrew Kaczynski (January 30, 2026). "Former Obama WH counsel said "I adore him" after Epstein booked her first-class trip to Europe". Threads. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  43. ^ Steck, Em; Kaczynski, Andrew (February 12, 2026). "Kathy Ruemmler and Epstein: Inside the Goldman Sachs lawyer's ties to the convicted sex offender". CNN. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  44. ^ Christenson, Josh (January 30, 2026). "Jeffrey Epstein gifted ex-Obama lawyer $9,400 Hermes bag, spa at Four Seasons: 'Needs some pampering'". New York Post. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  45. ^ Farhenthold, David A.; Ghorayshi, Azeen; Astor, Maggie (February 28, 2026). "Elite Doctors Served Jeffrey Epstein While Treating His 'Girls'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  46. ^ Wendler, Jacob (February 12, 2026). "Top Goldman Sachs lawyer resigns over ties to Epstein". Politico. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  47. ^ Copeland, Rob; Farrell, Maureen; Hirsch, Lauren; Nguyen, Duy (February 14, 2026). "Epstein Ties Spur an Exit at Goldman". The New York Times. Vol. 175, no. 60795. pp. B1, B3. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  48. ^ Falconer, Rebecca (February 12, 2026). "Top Goldman Sachs lawyer resigns after Epstein files release". Axios. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  49. ^ Martin, Ben (March 23, 2026). "Goldman Sachs lawyer's pay rose to $25m despite Jeffrey Epstein links". The Times. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  50. ^ Fuchs, Hailey (March 3, 2026). "Former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler called to testify in House Oversight's Epstein investigation". Politico. Retrieved March 3, 2026.

Further reading

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