Newly released emails show that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein maintained regular contact with Kathryn Ruemmler, former White House counsel to Barack Obama, exchanging friendly messages about politics in the years before the 2016 election.
The House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate on Wednesday. The correspondence provides a detailed record of Epstein’s extensive connections across Democratic political circles and prominent public figures.
What the Emails Reveal
In messages exchanged with Ruemmler, Epstein described concerns about his relationship with former President Bill Clinton. “He swore, with whole-hearted conviction to me that he had done something, he had forgotten that he also swore the exact opposite to me only weeks before,” Epstein wrote in a January 23, 2016, email regarding Clinton.
Ruemmler responded with sharp criticism of the individual in question, stating “I will just say I told you so. Not to sound overly dramatic, but he is very close to being a psychopath,” according to the released documents. She added that the person “has no conscience. It’s scary.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1989102240502566926
A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs, where Ruemmler now serves as chief legal officer, said her interactions with Epstein were limited to business matters. “They shared a common client that originated as an Epstein referral,” the spokesperson stated, referring to Ruemmler’s previous work as a partner at Latham & Watkins law firm.
Clinton’s Complicated History With Epstein
The relationship between Clinton and Epstein extended back to the early 1990s, when Epstein donated to Clinton’s presidential campaign. Records show Clinton later received a $20,000 contribution to his wife’s 1999 Senate bid.
White House visitor logs document that Epstein visited the residence more than a dozen times during Clinton’s presidency. After leaving office, Clinton took more than two dozen trips on Epstein’s private jet, often called the “Lolita Express,” and visited his New York apartment.
Here's a VERY interesting email thread between Obama's chief White House council, Kathy Ruemeller and Jeffery Epstein appearing to discuss …. something very suspicious…
You tell me what this looks like… pic.twitter.com/r4kt7iNxbB
— Ian Carroll (@IanCarrollShow) November 14, 2025
A Clinton spokesperson rejected the suggestion of ongoing close ties. “What we do know and have always said is that President Clinton knew nothing about Epstein’s heinous crimes and hadn’t spoken to him in twenty years,” the statement said.
The Broader Network
Beyond his connection to Clinton, other correspondence reveals Epstein’s access to prominent figures across entertainment and politics. Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss proposed a “men of the world conference” in an April 2018 email, suggesting attendees including actor Kevin Spacey, former Senator Al Franken and director Woody Allen.
The released documents underscore how Epstein cultivated relationships across multiple sectors of American public life before his arrest and death in custody in 2019.
This story has been updated. CNN’s staff contributed to this report.