Texas Democrat Arrested For Allegedly Taking Over $600,000 In Foreign Bribes
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was indicted by the Department of Justice and taken into custody on Friday following a lengthy investigation that included a raid of the Texas Democrat’s home over allegedly illicit ties to Azerbaijan.
Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner broke the news, citing sources, that “Henry Cuellar has been indicted as part of an investigation into the United States business people with foreign connections. The feds raided Cuellar’s home and his campaign office in 2022. And at the time, his counsel had said he was not the target of the investigation. Cuellar just released a statement saying that he and his wife are innocent.”
The indictment was made public later in the day and included charges for allegedly taking over $600,000 in foreign bribes and money laundering. Poltico’s Kyle Cheney noted that if convicted Cuellar and his wife, who is also under indictment, face “face long prison terms.”
Cuellar’s distinct, Texas 28, stretches from the suburbs of San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border and is rated by the Cook Political Report as a D +3 district. Cuellar is the last remaining pro-life Democrat in the House. Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced on Friday that “Cuellar will take leave as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee while this matter is ongoing.”
“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar said in his statement, adding that he and his wife “requested a meeting with the Washington DC prosecutors to explain the facts and they refused to discuss the case with us or to hear our side.”
Cuellar also vowed to run for reelection in November, “These allegations have been difficult on my family. But, with your prayers, we will overcome. As the son of migrant workers, I was taught to wake up early and work hard. That’s exactly what I’ve always done for the people of South Texas. I’ve devoted my life’s work to creating jobs here, improving education, and securing our border. Let me be clear, I’m running for re-election and will win this November.”
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
