Steve Mnuchin admits Treasury Dept. coordinated with White House on Trump's tax returns despite legal roadblocks

The Treasury Department is said to have contacted the White House about requests for President Donald Trump's taxes -- despite laws that are meant to mitigate political manipulation.

While speaking to an appropriations subcommittee about the Treasury Department budget, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was asked about House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal's request for Trump's tax returns.

The Treasury secretary denied having spoken to anyone at the White House about the president's tax returns.

But Mnuchin spilled the beans when he was asked if anyone else at Treasury had spoken to the White House about the president's taxes.

"Our legal department has had conversations prior to receiving the [request] letter with the White House general counsel," Mnuchin admitted.

The Treasury secretary went on to suggest that he did not have knowledge about what was communicated between his department and the White House.

"They have not briefed me as to the contents of that communication," he said. "I believe it was purely informational."

Watch the video below from C-SPAN.