Trump Defends Embattled Rep. Cuellar, Fellow Democrat Calls for His Resignation

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media outside of court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on May 2, 2024. Jeenah Moon-Pool/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump blamed President Joe Biden for the indictment of Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and his wife, Imelda, who have been indicted for allegedly accepting $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities, while at least one Democrat in the House is already breaking ranks against the congressman.

“Biden just Indicted Henry Cuellar because the Respected Democrat Congressman wouldn’t play Crooked Joe’s Open Border game. He was for Border Control, so they said, ‘Let’s use the FBI and DOJ to take him out!’ Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday. “This is the way they operate. They’re a bunch of D.C. Thugs, and at some point, they will be paying a very big price for what they have done to our Country.”

Mr. Cuellar allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from Azerbaijan’s state-run oil and gas company after the money had been laundered through shell companies owned by his wife, according to an unsealed indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In return, the Texas congressman allegedly pushed legislation to favor Azerbaijan, a former Soviet country that borders Iran and Russia, which Mr. Cuellar’s attorneys say is completely above board.

“This is not a situation of special favors to some narrow interest,” Eric Reed, one of Mr. Cuellar’s attorneys, told The Epoch Times. “To the contrary, it’s action taken that’s consistent with his own history, consistent with U.S. policies and consistent with multiple members of Congress … [the indictment] is clearly an exhibit of government overreach.”

“They have used the FARA law, and the salacious terms of foreign agents to try to make utterly common official actions seem like the nefarious actions of a secret agent,” said Mr. Reed, who maintains that the Cuellars are innocent of all charges.

The indictment also alleges Mr. Cuellar took money from a Mexican bank and influenced members of the executive branch to work around anti-money laundering policies that could threaten the bank’s interests. The Cuellars then allegedly used the money at restaurants and retail stores, to finance credit card payments, taxes, car payments, and purchase a $12,000 custom gown.

Democrat Calls for Cuellar’s Resignation

While the Texas congressman has several defenders and Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has said Mr. Cuellar has the “presumption of innocence” and “is due his day in court,” one Democratic member of the House has called for his resignation.

“While the bar for Federal indictment is high, trust in our government is low,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), a one-time challenger to President Biden, posted on X. “That’s why office holders and candidates under indictment should resign or end their campaigns, including Sen. Bob Menendez, Donald Trump, & Rep. Henry Cuellar.”

Other Democrats are also skeptical as to the congressman’s claims of innocence.

“Clearly, the DOJ is not acting hastily or impulsively. The investigation of Cuellar has gone on more than 2 years,” Matt Angle, founder of the Texas Lonestar Project, a Democratic PAC, told The Epoch Times. “The public revelations of foreign payments from both Azerbaijan and Mexico look very bad. Cuellar will have to make his case in court with facts and evidence.”

“Cuellar is not a victim. He’s a defendant, and the sooner he accepts that the better off he and his family will be,” said Mr. Angle.

Mr. Cuellar is the second Democratic member of Congress to be under indictment after Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who was indicted on bribery charges last year. Mr. Mendez has been called to resign by over a dozen Democrats in the Senate.