Steven Mnuchin Draws Claims of Conflict of Interest in Decision on Russian Oligarch

WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress are raising ethical concerns about connections between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and a billionaire Republican donor who stands to benefit financially from the Trump administration’s decision to lift sanctions on the Russian oligarch Oleg V. Deripaska’s companies.

In a letter to Mr. Mnuchin, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee said Mr. Mnuchin’s connection to an entertainment business owned in part by the donor, Len Blavatnik, a business partner of Mr. Deripaska’s, represented a potential conflict of interest.

“The fact that you did not recuse yourself from deliberations surrounding the proposed termination of sanctions” on Mr. Deripaska’s companies “is deeply troubling and a conflict of interest,” Representative Jackie Speier of California said in the letter sent last week.

Other Democrats are also considering taking steps to investigate Mr. Mnuchin’s connections to Mr. Blavatnik, including Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/steven-mnuchin-draws-claims-of-conflict-of-interest-in-decision-on-russian-oligarch/ar-BBSUIjc?li=BBnbcA1