Democrats have a new investigative target: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Steven Terner MnuchinShutdown clash looms after Democrats unveil spending bill Lawmakers fear voter backlash over failure to reach COVID-19 relief deal United Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE.

The leaders of three powerful House committees are requesting a trove of documents related to the Treasury Department’s decision to lift sanctions on companies tied to Oleg Deripaska, a prominent Russian oligarch linked with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Treasury lifted the sanctions on Deripaska’s United Co. Rusal and two other firms after he agreed to reduce his ownership stake below 50 percent and relinquish control of the firms, according to details of the deal released by the Treasury Department.

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But Democrats have raised concerns about the agreement, suggesting it could still afford Deripaska influence and even “defacto control” over the companies.

Others have raised ethical concerns about Mnuchin’s reported business ties to billionaire Republican donor Len Blavatnik, who is an investor in Rusal and reportedly stands to benefit from the deal.

The Treasury Department has publicly pushed back on those assertions, saying Mnuchin had no “direct business relationship” with Blavatnik and calling suggestions of a conflict of interest “baseless.”

The inquiries underline the fervency among Democrats to use their newfound oversight powers in order to investigate the Trump administration — including any links between people in Trump’s orbit and the Kremlin.

“There is already a lot of skepticism about Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE and his intuition about what our foreign interests should be,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi Subramanian (Raja) Raja KrishnamoorthiCDC causes new storm by pulling coronavirus guidance Democratic chairman says White House blocked Navarro from testifying Democrats urge CDC to update guidance to encourage colleges, universities go tobacco-free MORE (D-Ill.), who was recently tapped to serve on the House Intelligence Committee.

Deripaska has also attracted attention as a result of his ties to Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortOur Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE, Trump’s former campaign chairman who has pleaded guilty in connection with Mueller’s probe to offenses arising from his lobbying work on behalf of pro-Russian forces in Ukraine.

Trump officials insist the administration has been tough on Russia, pointing to decisions to send lethal aid to Ukraine, sanction Russians and expel suspected Russian spies. The Treasury Department unveiled penalties on Deripaska and his firms last April under a law aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the election and other malign activities.

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Mnuchin has argued the sanctions aimed to hit Putin’s ally, and not all the employees who happen to work for his companies.

“One of the goals of sanctions is to change behavior, and the proposed delistings of companies that Deripaska will no longer control show that sanctions can result in positive change,” Mnuchin said in January.

The Treasury Department announced in December the administration’s plan to lift sanctions on the three companies — Rusal, its parent company En+ Group PLC and JSC EuroSibEnergo.

The European Union has also backed Mnuchin’s decision to delist Rusal and En+, arguing the move would prevent “serious damage” to the European aluminum industry.

The firms as part of the deal agreed to commit “to full transparency with Treasury by undertaking extensive, ongoing auditing, certification, and reporting requirements.”

Penalties on Deripaska and his property were left in place by Treasury.

The plan has nevertheless encountered pushback on Capitol Hill.

In January, lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to defeat the administration’s decision to lift the sanctions. The Republican-controlled Senate narrowly rejected a Democratic-led effort to prevent the administration from lifting sanctions on the firms in a vote of 57-42.

Democrats in the lower chamber have already hauled in Mnuchin to testify on the sanctions behind closed doors and left voicing dissatisfaction. Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiTrump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally CDC causes new storm by pulling coronavirus guidance Overnight Health Care: CDC pulls revised guidance on coronavirus | Government watchdog finds supply shortages are harming US response | As virus pummels US, Europe sees its own spike MORE (D-Calif.) described it as “one of the worst classified briefings we have received from the Trump administration.”

On Tuesday, the chairs of the House Intelligence, Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees demanded Mnuchin turn over all documents relevant to the decisionmaking process to lift the sanctions off the three companies — “regardless of classification” — by next Tuesday.

Other Democrats have also pressed for more information, citing ethics concerns.

House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.) and Sen. Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP set to release controversial Biden report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate GOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high MORE (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Mnuchin on Tuesday inquiring about reports of his Hollywood business ties to Blavatnik, a Soviet-born British-American businessman and co-owner of SUAL Partners Limited, a shareholder in Rusal that is also partly owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.

The New York Times reported in January, before the sanctions were lifted, on a confidential document showing that SUAL would own 22.5 percent of Rusal after the deal is completed. The report also suggested the deal would be less of a blow to Deripaska than the administration has signaled publicly.

The lawmakers cited press reports of Mnuchin’s business and personal ties to Blavatnik, including one stating Blavatnik was an initial investor in RatPac Entertainment, the film financing firm that later partnered with Mnuchin’s firm, Dune Entertainment. Mnuchin divested his stake in RatPac-Dune in 2017 after becoming Treasury secretary.

“We are seeking an explanation as to how you managed your own potential conflicts of interest arising from your personal and professional relationships with major Rusal shareholder Len Blavatnik, a key beneficiary from your decision to delist Rusal,” Cummings and Wyden wrote.

The letter followed an inquiry from Rep. Jackie Speier Karen (Jackie) Lorraine Jacqueline SpeierOvernight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies House to vote on 'I Am Vanessa Guillén' bill Overnight Defense: Trump's battle with Pentagon poses risks in November | Lawmakers launch Fort Hood probe | Military members can't opt out of tax deferral MORE (D-Calif.) about transactions involving his interest in RatPac-Dune and any ethics advice he received regarding those transactions or discussions about the Deripaska-linked sanctions.

Speier specifically cited a 2017 report in the Hollywood Reporter that Mnuchin sold his shares in RatPac-Dune to Blavatnik for $25 million.

Speier wrote on Jan. 23 that Mnuchin’s failure to recuse himself from the sanctions discussions is “deeply troubling” and represents a “conflict of interest.”

A Treasury spokesman initially said Speier's letter was "premised on false information." The department formally responded to Speier on Thursday, according to her office, and stated that Mnuchin did not sell his shares to Blavatnik or his companies but instead to a "third party" with no links to him.

Speier sent a follow-up letter seen by The Hill suggesting Mnuchin name who purchased his stake in the "interest of transparency." The congresswoman also accused Mnuchin of failing to address a series of questions laid out in her initial letter and asked for a proper response within two weeks.

A Treasury spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment on Speier's latest letter, but told The Hill previously that the department received and is reviewing the other letters.