Top Goldman Sachs Lawyer Resigns Over Epstein Ties, Obama Link Downplayed

Kathy Ruemmler's close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and her previous role as White House counsel for President Obama were not prominently featured in media reports about her resignation.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Kathy Ruemmler, the chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, has resigned amid increased scrutiny over her close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. While major media outlets reported on Ruemmler's decision to leave her position at Goldman Sachs, many downplayed or buried the fact that she previously served as White House counsel for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014.

Why it matters

Ruemmler's connection to both Epstein and the Obama administration raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the extent of her involvement with the disgraced financier. The media's apparent reluctance to prominently feature her Obama ties in their coverage has drawn criticism from some observers, who argue that this aspect of the story is highly newsworthy.

The details

Emails released by the Justice Department show that Ruemmler exchanged thousands of messages with Epstein in the years between his 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution and the 2019 revelations about the full extent of his alleged sex crimes. In some of these emails, Ruemmler appeared to help Epstein coordinate a response as ABC News prepared to air a story featuring Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of sex trafficking her when she was underage. Ruemmler also sent Epstein a draft statement for his feedback on declining further consideration for the position of U.S. Attorney General during the Obama administration, a role that ultimately went to Loretta Lynch.

  • In 2014, months after leaving the White House, Ruemmler sent Epstein a draft statement for his feedback on declining further consideration for the position of U.S. Attorney General to replace Eric Holder during the Obama administration.
  • In 2015, for Epstein's 62nd birthday, Ruemmler wrote in an email to him, 'I hope you enjoy the day with your one true love :-)'.
  • In 2017, Epstein emailed Ruemmler to ask if she thought he should invite Obama to his island to meet her and someone named 'Lisa' there.

The players

Kathy Ruemmler

The former chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs who resigned amid increased scrutiny over her close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Ruemmler served as White House counsel for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender whose relationship with Kathy Ruemmler has come under increased scrutiny following the release of their email exchanges.

Barack Obama

The former President of the United States, for whom Kathy Ruemmler served as White House counsel from 2011 to 2014.

Virginia Giuffre

An individual who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sex trafficking her when she was underage. Ruemmler appeared to help Epstein coordinate a response as ABC News prepared to air a story featuring Giuffre's allegations.

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What they’re saying

“Love that you're downplaying the most newsworthy thing about her — she was Obama's White House counsel. Cuz that's what news organizations do.”

— Mollie Hemingway, Editor-in-Chief, The Federalist (Twitter)

“Hey Bloomberg, please add the fact that she was Obama's former White House counsel to your headline. Kind of a major detail to leave out!”

— Alex Bruesewitz, Conservative Political Consultant (Twitter)

The takeaway

The media's apparent reluctance to prominently feature Kathy Ruemmler's connection to the Obama administration in their reporting on her resignation from Goldman Sachs raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the extent of her involvement with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This aspect of the story appears to be highly newsworthy, yet it was often downplayed or buried in the coverage, drawing criticism from some observers.