TEXAS Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife have been indicted on charges of conspiracy and bribery after the defiant lawmaker blasted the Department of Justice’s inquiry.
The charges by the DOJ stem from a January 2022 raid by the FBI on Cuellar’s home and campaign office in Laredo, Texas.
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Federal authorities at the time were investigating Azerbaijan and a group of US businessmen who have ties to the Central Asian country, according to NBC News.
Cuellar, who previously served as co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, and his team agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
Investigators said that between December 2014 and November 2021, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, 67, accepted nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled oil company and a bank in Mexico City.
In exchange, Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his position of power to promote the interests of the Central Asian country and the Mexican bank in the United States.
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Cuellar and his wife appeared in a Houston courtroom on Friday.
The longtime Texas representative, 68, also agreed to influence legislation in favor of Azerbaijan, while delivering an impactful pro-Azerbaijan statement on the House floor, according to the indictment.
Hours before the charges were officially announced, Cuellar ripped the DOJ’s probe and declared his innocence.
“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations,” the Texas congressman stated.
“Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas.
“Before I took any action, I proactively sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee, who gave me more than one written opinion, along with an additional opinion from a national law firm.
“The actions I took in Congress were consistent with the actions of many of my colleagues and in the interest of the American people.”
Cuellar went on to say that he and his team have requested a meeting with federal prosecutors regarding the reported indictment.
“Imelda and I have been married for 32 years. On top of being an amazing wife and mother, she’s an accomplished businesswoman with two degrees,” Cuellar added.
“She spent her career working with banking, tax, and consulting. The allegations that she is anything but qualified and hard working is both wrong and offensive.
“These allegations have been difficult on my family. But, with your prayer, 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.”
Cuellar ended his statement by announcing he’s running for reelection in November.
In April, Cuellar’s attorney told NBC News that they were informed the congressman was not the target of the federal investigation.
Cuellar has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, telling the Texas Tribute a year after the raid, “My focus remains the same from my very first day in office: delivering results for Texans across my district.”
The 2022 raid did not lead to any arrests or indictments.
Cuellar has represented Texas’ 28th congressional district since 2005.
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