Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper was expected to testify Friday before House committees conducting the impeachment inquiry of President Trump, but her appearance was delayed until next Thursday.
Cooper heads up the administration’s policy in Ukraine. House Democrats want to probe what she knows about the president’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which is the central focus of the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment investigation.
Cooper, a Defense Department employee since 2001, oversees policy related to Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova), and Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia), as well as arms control policies.
Although Cooper does not need to appear until next week, other Trump administration personnel have a deadline to meet on Friday. Acting White House chief of staff Mulvaney and Energy Secretary Rick Perry must turn over documents related to Ukraine in compliance with a subpoena from the House committees.
The White House has made clear it would not cooperate with the inquiry. Perry, who announced he is resigning his post, is not expected to comply with the subpoena and Mulvaney has made no indication he will turn over any documents.
Upcoming scheduled depositions begin again on Tuesday with American diplomat and a former United States ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor.
On Wednesday Ambassador Philip Reeker and Office of Management and Budget official Michael Duffey are expected to give their testimonies. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman will be on the Hill Thursday to give his deposition.
