Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler tells House Oversight Committee her Epstein massage joke was “extraordinarily poor taste,” according to transcript

Ruemmler, a former adviser and lawyer whose communications with Jeffrey Epstein were cited by federal prosecutors, made the remark during July 15 testimony tied to the House Oversight Committee’s review of Epstein-related activity, an outlet reported Monday.

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Kathryn Ruemmler, a former Goldman Sachs lawyer and former aide to President Barack Obama, told the House Oversight Committee that a joke she made about Jeffrey Epstein’s “massages” was in “extraordinarily poor taste,” according to a transcript of her July 15 testimony released in connection with the committee’s investigation. The New York Post reported that Ruemmler made the comment while responding to questions about the content of her communications connected to Epstein.

The committee testimony described a remark in which Ruemmler said, “Best massage ever, but not your kind of massage,” the report said. In the same exchange, the outlet reported that Ruemmler characterized the comment as inappropriate, saying the joke was “extraordinarily poor taste.”

The testimony comes after federal prosecutors earlier released records, which the report said detailed Ruemmler’s “extensive communications” with Epstein. The New York Post stated that her resignation from Goldman Sachs earlier this year was tied to the public release of those records by the Department of Justice.

Ruemmler’s appearance before the Oversight Committee was part of the committee’s effort to compile information about interactions involving Epstein, including how individuals with professional roles may have communicated with him. The Oversight Committee is using the hearing record and document production to assess what was known and when, according to the context described by the reporting.

Neither the requested Department of Justice materials nor any publicly citable transcript text from was provided in the materials available for this draft. As a result, Apex cannot confirm the exact origin, posting, or full contents of the transcript beyond what was reported by the New York Post for this story.

If the Oversight Committee’s transcript and related exhibits are posted in an official hearing record, those materials would be the next place to verify additional specifics, including the exact questions asked, any follow-up exchanges, and the committee’s stated focus for the testimony.

For now, the practical effect of the reported testimony is that lawmakers have additional on-the-record statements from Ruemmler addressing her language and tone, which can be used for questions of process and oversight rather than any criminal finding, unless and until a court filing or charging document establishes additional facts.

Why It Matters

Committee testimony creates an official hearing record that can be used to assess what individuals involved with major financial institutions communicated about and how those communications were characterized.
The episode highlights the role of congressional oversight and document releases in clarifying timelines and decision-making around high-profile cases.
If the Oversight Committee publishes the full transcript and exhibits, it can help separate contested descriptions from on-the-record statements in a public forum.
The matter also underscores how public disclosure of communications can affect employment, corporate compliance reviews, and reputational risk, even without an adjudicated finding in the hearing itself.

Sources

Key Facts

Kathryn Ruemmler testified to the House Oversight Committee on July 15, according to reporting.
The New York Post reported Ruemmler described a joke about Jeffrey Epstein’s “massages” as “extraordinarily poor taste.”
The report said Ruemmler’s wording included the line, “Best massage ever, but not your kind of massage.”
The New York Post linked Ruemmler’s prior “extensive communications” with Epstein to records released by the Department of Justice, and said her Goldman Sachs resignation earlier this year was tied to those disclosures.
A transcript was reported as released in connection with the Oversight Committee’s investigation, but DOJ-hosted primary text was not provided here for confirmation.