WASHINGTON — Ex-Obama counsel Kathryn Ruemmler got chummy with Jeffrey Epstein after leaving the White House and later received lavish gifts from the sex offender — including a $9,400 Hermes handbag and a spa trip at the Four Seasons in DC, according to records released by the Justice Department Friday.
Ruemmler, who now serves as general counsel at Goldman Sachs, enjoyed the “full half day” spa appointment at the Georgetown resort in August 2016, writing to an associate that, “she won her case and needs some pampering,” the Washington Free Beacon first reported.
“Thank you! I am going to go on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. — massage then facial,” she responded the same day for the works, which can run up to $1,000, to which the associate replied, “Great!!!”
The following month, Epstein also told his executive assistant Lesley Groff to “confirm receipt with Kathy” for the pricey, French bag in a separate series of emails.
“OH MY GOD!!!!!” Ruemmler He is in so much trouble!!!! I am dying. It is so beautiful,” Ruemmler erupted in reply.
The handbag was preceded by a bouquets of flowers delivered to her office in August 2016 and a Hermes-branded Apple Watch as a Thanksgiving gift in November 2018, which has a retail price of $1,300, causing the white collar attorney to gush “so sweet of Jeffrey” both times.
“Of course, I love the Hermes one!” she responded. “If truly okay with him to do the Hermes, I would love the 40 mm, stainless Hermes with bleu indigo swift leather double tour. I’ll wear that one everyday,
whereas the sportier ones I would likely only wear on weekends or when exercising, etc.”
There were also other exchanges in their correspondence between 2014 and 2019 showing that Epstein’s housekeeper planned to give a ring to Ruemmler as well as a bottle of wine and a card.
The handbag was preceded by a bouquets of flowers delivered to her office in August 2016 and a Hermes-branded Apple Watch as a Thanksgiving gift in November 2018, which has a retail price of $1,300, causing the white collar attorney to gush “so sweet of Jeffrey” both times.
“Of course, I love the Hermes one!” she responded. “If truly okay with him to do the Hermes, I would love the 40 mm, stainless Hermes with bleu indigo swift leather double tour. I’ll wear that one everyday,
whereas the sportier ones I would likely only wear on weekends or when exercising, etc.”
There were also other exchanges in their correspondence between 2014 and 2019 showing that Epstein’s housekeeper planned to give a ring to Ruemmler as well as a bottle of wine and a card.
The emails cast doubt on Ruemmler’s claim in a statement last month to CNN that she “was not compensated” for representing Epstein or providing PR advice.
“It’s well known that Epstein often offered unsolicited favors and gifts to his many business contacts,” Goldman spokesman Tony Fratto said in a statement.
All the correspondence occurred after Epstein pled guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.
Other text messages between former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon and Epstein in March 2019 reveal Ruemmler advised the soon-to-be indicted financier about how to craft a statement for a forthcoming Washington Post article.
“This is what Kathy suggests we tell Waco,” Epstein wrote of a potential response to a story about his non-prosecution agreement with the feds in 2007, before immediately clarifying: “Wapo.”
The 66-year-old was found in a Manhattan federal jail dead on Aug. 10, 2019, after being charged the month before with sex trafficking dozens of girls — some as young as 14 years old. His death was later ruled a suicide by multiple investigations.
Ruemmler also consulted Epstein for career advice in previously released communications about potentially succeeding then-Attorney General Eric Holder at the Obama Justice Department, who urged her to “talk to the boss.”
“Agreed, but I need to be prepared to say yes before I talk to him,” Ruemmler wrote back in the September 2014 exchange, before Epstein appeared to make an eerie suggestion to his crimes.
“Most girls do not ha=e to worry about this crap,” she added.
“girls?” Epstein replied. “careful i will renew an old habit.”
She later took herself out of the running and remained at the law firm Latham & Watkins, where she led its international white-collar defense division.
Ruemmler did not immediately respond to a request for comment
