Goldman Sachs senior counsel Kathryn Ruemmler told members of Congress in a closed-door hearing on Wednesday that if she had known Jeffrey Epstein was abusing women or girls, she would have reported him to law enforcement.
Ruemmler stepped down as Goldman's chief legal officer and general counsel at the end of June, pending a replacement, after documents published by the U.S. Justice Department showed she had extensive communications with Epstein and had also accepted gifts from him.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing is part of its investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. It has pushed Goldman back into the spotlight over its decision to keep Ruemmler, despite her links to the convicted sex offender.
"First, I did not see any evidence of ongoing criminal conduct or misconduct of any kind by Epstein during the time I dealt with him," she said in her opening statement, which she released publicly.
"Second, if I had seen or heard any evidence suggesting that he was abusing women or girls, I would have immediately reported him to law enforcement."
She agreed to continue in an advisory role as senior counsel until the company appointed a new chief legal officer, Goldman CEO David Solomon said in June, a decision that has been criticized by some lawmakers.
Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is on the House panel, and Elizabeth Warren, Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, sent a second letter to Solomon and Ruemmler raising concerns regarding her continued employment with Goldman.
Several hours into her private testimony, Democrats on the committee told reporters they believed she was not being completely forthright, and noted that she was not giving answers under oath.
"It is difficult to see how she is being completely truthful in there with the answers she’s giving the committee," said Representative Robert Garcia, the senior Democrat on the panel. "She's unwilling to take any responsibility for her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein."
Goldman Sachs declined to comment.
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