Jan 13, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Energy Department agrees to release some Ukraine-related records

Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Department of Energy has agreed to comply with a request from watchdog American Oversight to begin producing records related to former Secretary Rick Perry’s communications with key figures in the Trump-Ukraine investigation, according to a joint status update filed Monday.

Why it matters: The agency will release its first batch of records on Jan. 28, which could coincide with the Senate impeachment trial.

  • Further document productions are scheduled for Feb. 4 and March 16.

The big picture: American Oversight filed a FOIA lawsuit in October seeking records from Perry, Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette and other officials possibly involved in the administration’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump's political opponents.

  • Perry led a delegation to attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's inauguration in May 2019 and met with Ukrainian officials three other times.
  • Axios also reported in October that Trump told House Republicans that he made his now infamous phone call to Zelensky at the urging of Perry.

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