Goldman Sachs Chief of Staff Russell Horwitz Departing Amid Internal Tensions Over CEO's Support for Epstein-Linked Lawyer
Russell Horwitz, Goldman Sachs's chief of staff, is leaving the firm at the end of June after privately opposing CEO David Solomon's continued backing of former general counsel Kathy Ruemmler amid her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Ruemmler resigned in February following the release of Epstein-related emails by the Justice Department, but Solomon asked her to remain as an adviser beyond her departure date. The episode has exposed rare internal dissent at Goldman and drawn scrutiny from senior Democratic lawmakers who questioned Solomon's fitness to lead the bank.
Russell Horwitz, Goldman Sachs's chief of staff, raised concerns for months about CEO David Solomon's sustained support for Kathy Ruemmler as successive releases of Justice Department documents revealed the extent of her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ruemmler resigned as general counsel in February 2025, but Solomon — who had publicly praised her as 'tremendous' and privately urged her to reconsider — subsequently asked her to stay on as an adviser to the firm. Horwitz denied that his departure was connected to the Ruemmler controversy, stating, 'No, that is not the reason I'm leaving Goldman Sachs,' though people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times he was among the very few senior executives willing to challenge Solomon on the issue. Internally, Solomon's backing of Ruemmler reportedly became a taboo subject, with one Goldman executive describing a state of 'shock' when news of her continued advisory role became public. Sources close to Ruemmler have said she disclosed her Epstein ties to Goldman before joining and declined a reported $30 million offer to join Epstein's defense team after his 2019 arrest. The situation has attracted political attention, with Senators Elizabeth Warren and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi writing to Solomon arguing that his decision to retain Ruemmler called into question his 'professional judgement and fitness' to lead the bank. Goldman Sachs and representatives for Ruemmler declined to comment.
What's missing
It remains unclear what specific terms govern Ruemmler's continued advisory role — including compensation, duration, and scope — and whether Goldman's board has formally reviewed or approved Solomon's decision to retain her beyond her resignation date.
How coverage differed
The New York Post added a critical framing note absent from the FT's original report: a source close to the situation characterized the leak of internal disagreements to the media as something Goldman employees found 'shocked and appalled,' subtly casting Horwitz's camp in a negative light even while reporting the substance of the FT's findings.
What different sources said
- New York PostRight
Top Goldman Sachs banker departing after he opposed CEO David Solomon’s support of Epstein-linked lawyer: report
- Financial TimesCenter
Top Goldman Sachs executive opposed David Solomon’s backing of Kathy Ruemmler
- Times of IndiaCenter
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