Steven Mnuchin briefs top GOP donors he regulates as Trump taxes released: report

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave an address to top donors backing President Donald Trumps 2020 campaign. Mnuchin spoke to the donor a day after he rebuffed a request from House Democrats to turn over six years of President Donald Trump's tax returns and after the stock market dropped more than 400 points.

“There’s a legitimate concern that people may get the impression that they can get not just on Trump’s good side but the treasury secretary’s good side by donating or raising money for his campaign,” government ethics professor Kathleen Clark told The Washington Post.

The report went on to explain the Mnuchin was not listed as an official speaker of the event. The event with top executives and donors was held at the Trump International Hotel in Washington.

"Treasury secretaries in recent years have avoided attending fundraiser events with people they could be tasked with regulating, in part because of their unique role in overseeing a broad swath of companies in the financial system," the report said.

"Cabinet secretaries can appear at campaign events as private citizens without violating the Hatch Act, a federal law that prohibits public employees from using their official capacity to conduct the political activity. But the law prohibits them from being named by their official title in connection with their appearance, either in introductory comments or official event materials and from soliciting donations," the report said.

However, Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for Trump's reelection committee said that all laws were abided by.

“Throughout the course of all administrations, Cabinet secretaries have engaged in political events . . . in their own time,” Murtaugh said. “The campaign and the administration know the rules, and appropriate precautions will be made to make sure that his participation is appropriate and permissible.”

Read the full report here.