Trump role for son-in-law Jared Kushner needs review, Democrats say

Democrats have called for US President-elect Donald Trump's naming of his son-in-law as a top adviser to be reviewed over concerns of nepotism and conflict of interest.

A group wants the Justice Department and Office of Government Ethics to scrutinise "legal issues" related to the appointment of Jared Kushner, 36.

His lawyer says the post does not breach anti-nepotism laws.

Mr Kushner is married to Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka.

The millionaire will step down as boss of his family's real estate business and publisher of the New York Observer newspaper in order to comply with ethics laws, his lawyer Jamie Gorelick said.

The influential Trump adviser will also divest "substantial assets", she said.

Mr Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president on 20 January.

Several of his cabinet picks have business interests that will be scrutinised at confirmation hearings taking place this week.

Mr Trump's pick for attorney general, Alabama Sen Jeff Sessions, is first to face Senate confirmation hearings on Tuesday. He was turned down for a federal judgeship in 1986 because of alleged racist remarks.

Unlike cabinet positions, advisers are considered part of White House staff and do not not require approval from Congress.

Who is Jared Kushner?

Softly-spoken and usually camera-shy, Mr Kushner is a vastly wealthy property developer and publisher who played an influential role in Mr Trump's presidential campaign and has been included in key meetings with foreign leaders during the transition period.

An Orthodox Jew whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors, he was raised in Livingston, New Jersey, and went on to study sociology at Harvard.

His father, also a property mogul, was jailed for tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering in 2005 by Chris Christie - then the US attorney for New Jersey.

Jared Kushner is said to have played a key role in the ousting of Mr Christie, by then New Jersey governor, from Mr Trump's presidential campaign team last year.