前奥巴马白宫律师凯瑟琳·鲁默勒在国会作证时声称Epstein受害者弗吉尼亚·吉弗雷的控诉"缺乏固有可信度"，这番言论引发了吉弗雷家族的强烈反弹。[1]鲁默勒表示，基于她作为前检察官和辩护律师的经验，吉弗雷提出的部分指控在性质上"缺乏固有可信度"。[1]吉弗雷已于去年自杀，其哥哥Sky Roberts和妻子Amanda Roberts随即批评鲁默勒曾任高盛首席法律官，指控其试图为Epstein开脱罪责。[1]
根据吉弗雷的指控，Epstein于2000年在Mar-a-Lago招募了时年16岁的她，随后将其贩运至伦敦，促成她与安德鲁王子在2001年的接触，当时她17岁。[1]鲁默勒于上月辞去高盛首席法律官职位，该职位年薪为2500万美元。[1]与此同时，美国参议院于周三一致投票反对对Epstein共谋者吉斯莱恩·麦克斯韦尔的总统赦免。[1]麦克斯韦尔因与Epstein相关的性贩运罪名于2021年被定罪，被判处20年监禁。[1]
Former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler faced backlash after testifying before Congress that allegations made by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre "lacked inherent credibility."[1] Ruemmler stated during her testimony that based on her experience as a former prosecutor and defense counsel, Giuffre's allegations were "of such a nature that they...lacked inherent credibility."[1]
Giuffre's family members strongly rejected Ruemmler's characterization. Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts and wife Amanda Roberts criticized Ruemmler, who serves as Goldman Sachs' chief legal officer, for attempting to discredit the victim.[1] Giuffre had alleged that Epstein recruited her in 2000 when she was 16 years old while she worked at Mar-a-Lago, and subsequently trafficked her to London where she was coerced into a sexual encounter with Prince Andrew in 2001 when she was 17.[1] Giuffre died by suicide last year.[1]
The controversy emerged as the U.S. Senate voted unanimously this week to oppose a presidential pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking crimes related to the case and sentenced to 20 years in prison.[1] Ruemmler recently stepped down from her position as Goldman Sachs' chief legal officer, a role that carried an annual salary of $25 million.[1]