President Donald Trump’s nominee to become Energy Department general counsel, William Cooper, is still waiting on a vote by the full Senate, although he has apparently already started working at the federal agency in another role.
Cooper, a former staff director for the House Natural Resources mineral resources subcommittee, is now a senior adviser to the Energy Department, according to his LinkedIn profile. The online biography did not offer any details on what the advisory role entails. He became a DOE adviser only this month.
Cooper had previously served as senior counsel and director of the Washington, D.C., office of the McConnell Valdés law firm for 18 months. Prior to being staff director for the House subcommittee, Cooper headed a trade group for the liquefied natural gas industry for several years.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced Cooper’s nomination on a voice vote on Aug. 23. His nomination was placed on the Senate executive calendar but it appears no Senate floor vote has been scheduled yet and both the House and Senate have closed up shop for the Thanksgiving holiday week.
One source contacted this week expects Cooper and other DOE nominees to be approved during the lame duck session of Congress before new lawmakers are sworn in during January.
As of this spring, Theodore (Ted) Garrish, who had been confirmed in April as assistant secretary for international affairs, was also serving as acting general counsel. It was unclear Monday if he is still serving in that capacity.
The website for the DOE’s general counsel office currently lists only two people, Deputy General Counsel Eric Fygi and John Lucas, the deputy general counsel for transactions, technology, and contractor resources. The deputy post for litigation, regulation, and enforcement is currently vacant.
