Senate Democrat calls for probe of Trump business

WASHINGTON — A senior Senate Democrat is asking the Treasury Department to evaluate whether President Donald Trump and his family’s business associates and possible investors from Russia and other countries have violated U.S. laws against fifinancing terrorism, money laundering and other illicit activities.

Trump’s refusal to jettison or disclose investments that create potential conflflicts of interest raises concern over his extensive international holdings, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio said in a letter Thursday to the new Tre a s ur y s e c re t a r y, S t e - ven Mnuchin. Brown is the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.

Brown asked Mnuchin whether he has requested or received from Trump and his family a complete list of their investors and business partners.

The Treasury Department has responsibility for enforcing U.S. laws and sanctions against terrorist fifinancing, bank secrec y and money laundering.

A Treasury spokesman didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

“Given the potential conflflicts with (U.S.) laws posed by the vast holdings and business activities of the president and his family, have they provided you — or have you requested from them and received — a comprehensive list of their investors, business partners, politically exposed persons and related actors?” Brown asked Mnuchin in the letter. “It is in the interest of the Trump family and the American people that Treasury independently assess any risks associated with these investors.”

Brown asked Mnuchin, if he hadn’t already done so, to request from Trump a full list, so that the Treasury, other regulators and U.S. intelligence offifficials can assess the foreign partners and investors.

Brown said the concerns a re n’t l i mited t o Russi a , noting the family- owned Trump Organization’s array of investments and business ties around the world.

Through it, Trump has interests in some 500 companies in about 20 countries, forming a complex and opaque empire scattered around the globe.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, questions Steven Mnuchin, then the Treasury secretary designee, during Mnuchin’s appearance in January before the Senate Finance Committee.