Wyden puts 'hold' on nominee in push for Trump-Russia financial details

Sen. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee Wyden GOP blocks election security bills after Mueller testimony Hillicon Valley: FTC fines Facebook B in privacy settlement | Critics pan settlement as weak | Facebook also faces FTC antitrust probe | Senate panel advances 'deepfakes' legislation | House passes anti-robocall bill Senate Democrats will try to force vote on election security after Mueller hearings MORE (D-Ore.) said Wednesday that he's placed a hold on President Trump's pick to oversee the administration's sanctions policy, adding that he'll only lift the hold if the Treasury Department provides documents about the financial ties between Russia and Trump associates.

"I have stated repeatedly that we have to follow the money if we are going to get to the bottom of how Russia has attacked our democracy. That means thoroughly review any information that relates to financial connections between Russia and President Trump and his associates," Wyden said in a statement.

He added that Sigal Mandelker, Trump's choice to be the Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes, will be "responsible for much of this information."

Using the "hold" allows Wyden to slow down the nomination process.

Wyden said that he will maintain his hold on Mandleker's nomination until the Treasury Department gives the Senate Intelligence and Finance Committees "information and documents related to Russia and its financial dealings" related to President Trump and aides.

Wyden sits on both committees.

The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee sent a request earlier this month to the Treasury Department's financial crimes unit for similar information.

Warner told CNN at the time that he wouldn't support Mandelker's nomination until the committee received the information.

"Until we get it, I'm not going to support the administration's nominee for undersecretary of Treasury finance, for terrorism and finance, because they owe us these documents first," Warner said.

Senators routinely use holds as leverage on other issues. For example, Sen. Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest Grassley Trump meets with pharma executives amid drug pricing push Azar calling GOP senators to back Grassley drug price plan On The Money: Trump sues to block release of NY state tax returns | Conservatives erupt in outrage against budget deal | White House defends deal amid backlash from allies | Deal's winners, losers MORE (R-Iowa) held up to roughly two dozen State Department nominations in an effort to get the department to respond to his questions about former secretary of State Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham Clinton Sen. Warren, reliving the good old days, hopes for a recession Mueller testimony fails to move needle on impeachment Club for Growth warms to Trump after 2016 fight MORE and her top aides.