A Defense Department official is testifying that the Ukrainian embassy was asking questions of her staff about a hold on military aid as far back as July 25, the day President Donald Trump asked Ukraine’s president to investigate Democrats.
Testifying in an evening impeachment hearing, Laura Cooper told lawmakers her staff has showed her emails she had not yet seen when she testified behind closed doors last month in the impeachment probe looking into Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
Cooper says staff received an email on July 25 from a Ukrainian embassy contact asking “what was going on” with the security assistance.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper, and State Department official David Hale, right, testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, during a public impeachment hearing of President Donald Trump's efforts to tie U.S. aid for Ukraine to investigations of his political opponents. (AP PhotoAlex Brandon)
Republicans have argued there was no “quid pro quo” — investigations into Democrats for military aid — if Ukrainians weren’t aware of a hold on the aid.