Senator seeks ethics probe of Mnuchin's 'Lego Batman' commentWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee asked the government ethics watchdog on Monday to review comments by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plugging “The Lego Batman Movie,” a film one of his companies produced, for a possible ethics violation. In a letter to Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub, Senator Ron Wyden said he was concerned that Mnuchin had violated his ethics agreement signed in January in his comments on Friday at the end of a live interview with the Axios news website. Mnuchin had agreed to divest his interests in Ratpac-Dune Entertainment Holdings LLC within 120 days of his confirmation, and “not participate personally and substantially in any matter that has a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of the entity” unless first obtaining a waiver. RatPac-Dune, co-founded by Mnuchin with producer-director Brett Rattner and media billionaire James Packer, has produced and financed a number of Hollywood hits in recent years, including “Avatar,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Lego Batman Movie.” At the Axios event, Mnuchin was asked in a question from a reader for a movie recommendation. “I’m not allowed to promote anything that I’m involved in.  So I just want to have the legal disclosure, you’ve asked me the question, and I am not promoting any product,” Mnuchin said. “But you should send all your kids to ‘Lego Batman.’” The comment drew laughter from the audience at the Washington event. Wyden said the Finance Committee had received no notifications regarding Mnuchin’s holdings in RatPac-Dune and assumed the Treasury chief still held that interest. “I am concerned that Sec. Mnuchin’s comments, may be seen to have a predictable effect on the financial interests” of RatPac-Dune, Wyden said in his letter. In a statement, a Treasury spokesman said: “As his statement reflects, the Secretary clearly recognized that he generally may not promote private interests and specifically gave the legal disclosure that he was not promoting a movie, but answering a question he was asked directly.” The OGE recommended last month that the White House should consider disciplinary action against President Donald Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway for her on-air comment on Fox News Channel promoting the clothing and jewelry line of Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump. Conway said people “should go buy Ivanka’s stuff.” The White House later told the ethics watchdog that Conway had acted “inadvertently” and without “nefarious motive or intent to benefit personally.” politicsNews
senator seeks ethics probe mnuchin batman commentwashington reuters the top democrat senate finance committee asked government ethics watchdog monday review comments treasury secretary steven mnuchin plugging the lego batman movie film one companies produced possible ethics violation in letter office government ethics director walter shrub senator ron widen said concerned mnuchin violated ethics agreement signed january comments friday end live interview axis news website mnuchin agreed divest interests entertainment holdings llc within days confirmation participate personally substantially matter direct predictable effect financial interests entity unless first obtaining waiver mnuchin brett rather media billionaire james packed produced financed number hollywood hits recent years including avatar mad max fury road the lego batman at axis event mnuchin asked question reader movie recommendation i allowed promote anything i involved so i want legal disclosure asked question i promoting product mnuchin said but send kids lego the comment drew laughter audience washington event widen said finance committee received notifications regarding mnuchin holdings assumed treasury chief still held interest i concerned sec mnuchin comments may seen predictable effect financial interests widen said letter in statement treasury spokesman said as statement reflects secretary clearly recognized generally may promote private interests specifically gave legal disclosure promoting movie answering question asked the one recommended last month white house consider disciplinary action president donald trump adviser kellyanne conway comment fox news channel promoting clothing jewelry line trump daughter lanka trump conway said people go buy lanka the white house later told ethics watchdog conway acted inadvertently without nefarious motive intent benefit politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Senator seeks ethics probe of Mnuchin's 'Lego Batman' commentWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee asked the government ethics watchdog on Monday to review comments by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plugging “The Lego Batman Movie,” a film one of his companies produced, for a possible ethics violation. In a letter to Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub, Senator Ron Wyden said he was concerned that Mnuchin had violated his ethics agreement signed in January in his comments on Friday at the end of a live interview with the Axios news website. Mnuchin had agreed to divest his interests in Ratpac-Dune Entertainment Holdings LLC within 120 days of his confirmation, and “not participate personally and substantially in any matter that has a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of the entity” unless first obtaining a waiver. RatPac-Dune, co-founded by Mnuchin with producer-director Brett Rattner and media billionaire James Packer, has produced and financed a number of Hollywood hits in recent years, including “Avatar,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Lego Batman Movie.” At the Axios event, Mnuchin was asked in a question from a reader for a movie recommendation. “I’m not allowed to promote anything that I’m involved in.  So I just want to have the legal disclosure, you’ve asked me the question, and I am not promoting any product,” Mnuchin said. “But you should send all your kids to ‘Lego Batman.’” The comment drew laughter from the audience at the Washington event. Wyden said the Finance Committee had received no notifications regarding Mnuchin’s holdings in RatPac-Dune and assumed the Treasury chief still held that interest. “I am concerned that Sec. Mnuchin’s comments, may be seen to have a predictable effect on the financial interests” of RatPac-Dune, Wyden said in his letter. In a statement, a Treasury spokesman said: “As his statement reflects, the Secretary clearly recognized that he generally may not promote private interests and specifically gave the legal disclosure that he was not promoting a movie, but answering a question he was asked directly.” The OGE recommended last month that the White House should consider disciplinary action against President Donald Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway for her on-air comment on Fox News Channel promoting the clothing and jewelry line of Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump. Conway said people “should go buy Ivanka’s stuff.” The White House later told the ethics watchdog that Conway had acted “inadvertently” and without “nefarious motive or intent to benefit personally.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: senator seeks ethics probe mnuchin batman commentwashington reuters the top democrat senate finance committee asked government ethics watchdog monday review comments treasury secretary steven mnuchin plugging the lego batman movie film one companies produced possible ethics violation in letter office government ethics director walter shrub senator ron widen said concerned mnuchin violated ethics agreement signed january comments friday end live interview axis news website mnuchin agreed divest interests entertainment holdings llc within days confirmation participate personally substantially matter direct predictable effect financial interests entity unless first obtaining waiver mnuchin brett rather media billionaire james packed produced financed number hollywood hits recent years including avatar mad max fury road the lego batman at axis event mnuchin asked question reader movie recommendation i allowed promote anything i involved so i want legal disclosure asked question i promoting product mnuchin said but send kids lego the comment drew laughter audience washington event widen said finance committee received notifications regarding mnuchin holdings assumed treasury chief still held interest i concerned sec mnuchin comments may seen predictable effect financial interests widen said letter in statement treasury spokesman said as statement reflects secretary clearly recognized generally may promote private interests specifically gave legal disclosure promoting movie answering question asked the one recommended last month white house consider disciplinary action president donald trump adviser kellyanne conway comment fox news channel promoting clothing jewelry line trump daughter lanka trump conway said people go buy lanka the white house later told ethics watchdog conway acted inadvertently without nefarious motive intent benefit politicsnews