Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. Kathy Ruemmler, the former Obama White House Counsel, is in hot water after telling a House panel that Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s descriptions of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein “lacked inherent credibility”. I mean, bless their hearts, who says that about a victim of sex trafficking? Ruemmler tried to walk it back, saying she was just being skeptical of certain claims, but Giuffre’s family wasn’t having it. They accused Ruemmler of trying to downplay her own ties to Epstein, and honestly, it’s hard to blame them.
Ruemmler’s statement was made during a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, which was released on Wednesday. She said she regretted interacting with Epstein and believed it was a mistake. But when asked about Giuffre’s allegations, Ruemmler got a bit wishy-washy, saying she didn’t have a reason to doubt Giuffre, but some of her claims lacked credibility. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. It’s like she’s trying to have it both ways.
Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law were not happy with Ruemmler’s statement, and they let her have it. They said Ruemmler was trying to “get people to believe she didn’t know Jeffrey Epstein was actively engaged in sex trafficking”. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now we’ve got a big ol’ mess on our hands. Ruemmler’s people are trying to spin this as her being “responsive” to Epstein’s requests for advice, but it’s not quite adding up.
Ruemmler also explained some emails she exchanged with Epstein, including one where she made a joke about his prior conviction. She said it was in poor taste, but I’m not sure that’s the worst part. There was also an email where Epstein asked her about “girls”, and Ruemmler said it was likely about an in-person meeting where she told him not to refer to women as girls. Okay, sure. And then there was the time Epstein suggested a hedge fund CEO might be interested in a woman, and Ruemmler responded with a joke about trading one of Epstein’s “Russians” for her compensation. I’m not sure what’s more disturbing, the fact that she made the joke or that she thought it was funny.
Ruemmler’s work at Goldman Sachs is also under scrutiny, and she wouldn’t commit to recommending that her successor not have ties to Epstein. She said it’s not her place to decide, and that people should be held accountable for their conduct, not their associations. Fair enough, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that she’s trying to distance herself from Epstein without actually taking responsibility for her own actions.
As I’m reading through this, I’m reminded that Ruemmler announced she would resign from Goldman Sachs in February after stories were published detailing her ties to Epstein. But then the CEO asked her to stay on as an adviser, and she agreed. It’s all very confusing, folks. Ruemmler said she disclosed her association with Epstein to the bank before she joined in 2020, but it’s not clear what that means or why it matters.
In conclusion, this whole thing is a big mess, and it’s hard to keep track of who’s saying what and why. Ruemmler’s trying to defend herself, but it’s not quite working. Giuffre’s family is still grieving, and they deserve some real answers. And Epstein’s victims deserve justice, no matter how long it takes. As I finish my coffee, I’m left wondering what’s next in this saga, and whether anyone will actually be held accountable for their actions. Stay tuned, folks, it’s gonna be a wild ride.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
