JUST IN: Laura Cooper impeachment testimony is live. docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…
COOPER says Senior State Dept. / Pentagon officials questioned whether the president had the legal authority to block congressionally approved Ukraine aid without notifying Congress. 
COOPER believed that Ukraine military assistance had to be out the door by Aug. 6 or else it might not be out in time for the end of the fiscal year -- a breach of Congress' legally required appropriation.
THE MAIN TAKEAWAY: Cooper says OMB communicated some general concern about "corruption" that led Trump to hold Ukraine aid.
But all corruption certifications had already been done at agency level.
"It was unanimous with the exception of the
statements by OMB repnesentatives."
But all corruption certifications had already been done at agency level.
"It was unanimous with the exception of the
statements by OMB repnesentatives."
COOPER was asked about her awareness of the whistleblower complaint. Some of her discussion of potential people involved is redacted.
ANDERSON, a State official, said Trump called Bolton at home in Jan. 2019 to complain about a CNN story that made it seem like the Navy was pushing back on Russian aggression in the Black Sea.
ANDERSON says the WH canceled a "routine" naval freedom-of-passage maneuver in the black sea after a CNN report made it appear to be a repsonse to Russian aggression.
The move was rescheduled later for the 5th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Crimea.
The move was rescheduled later for the 5th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Crimea.
