The indictment of Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) places the vulnerable Democrat in an even tighter predicament as he seeks reelection this fall, potentially giving an advantage to his Republican challenger in November.
The Justice Department announced a 28-count indictment against the Texas congressman and his wife on Friday, accusing Cuellar of allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: the government of Azerbaijan and a bank based in Mexico City.
Allegations against Cuellar began circulating in 2022, when his home and campaign offices in Laredo, Texas, were raided in January that year as part of the DOJ’s investigation into Azerbaijan and businessmen connected to the nation. In April of that year, Cuellar’s lawyer told several news outlets that the congressman was informed he was not the target of the investigation.
Now, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, are each charged with 14 counts: two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, two counts of bribery of a federal official, two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, two counts of violating a ban on public officials acting as foreign agents, one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, and five counts of money laundering. The charges carry a maximum sentence of more than 200 years in prison for both the congressman and his wife, but sentencing in the Cuellars’ case would likely not result in the maximum penalties.
Cuellar proclaimed his innocence ahead of the DOJ’s indictment, arguing that he and his wife are innocent and that “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 Texas Democrat said. “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 noted that he is still running for reelection in November and “will win.”
How the indictment will affect Cuellar’s chances of reelection remains to be seen. As of Friday, Cuellar’s seat was ranked “likely Democrat” and D-plus-3 by the Cook Political Report. However, he has faced competitive races in years past, narrowly defeating a progressive primary challenger in 2022.
A member of the House’s centrist Blue Dogs and New Democrat Coalitions, Cuellar came to Congress in 2004. He is the sole House Democrat who opposes abortion rights, a flashpoint for several members of his own party.
This year, Republicans Lazaro Garza and Jay Furman are heading to a runoff election on May 28 after neither candidate was able to claim 50% of the vote. Furman exited with 44.86%, with Garza receiving 27.13%, per the Texas Secretary of State’s office.
Shortly after news of the indictment broke, House Republicans’ campaign arm released a statement asking whether Cuellar’s fellow Democrats would call on him to resign.
“Henry Cuellar does not put Texas first, he puts himself first,” NRCC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar said in a statement. “If his colleagues truly believe in putting ‘people over politics,’ they will call on him to resign. If not – they are hypocrites whose statements about public service aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who endorsed Cuellar’s reelection bid last summer, said in a statement that Cuellar is a “valued Member of the House Democratic Caucus,” noting that the Texas congressman is “entitled to his day in court and the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process.”
Cuellar will, however, step aside from his position as ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee’s appropriations subcommittee, Jeffries noted.
The Texas Democrat’s GOP challengers wasted no time using this indictment for campaigning purposes. Furman posted a video to X ahead of the indictment’s release, calling the looming charges against Cuellar “politics normal.”
“This what we’re dealing with, this is what we’re trying to kick out,” Furman said. “It’s time for these guys to go. Time for the establishment to be put on their heels and pushed out for the corruption and for the attack on we, the people.
“Henry Cuellar is about to be indicted for crimes that we don’t yet know the extent of yet,” Furman continued. “We do know, 20 years on after being in office, we’re not any better.”
Texas Agriculture Department Commissioner Sid Miller, who has endorsed Furman, said with “corrupt” Cuellar facing an indictment, “the race for [Texas’s 28th Congressional District] just became a strong pick-up opportunity for Republicans.”
Cuellar is the most recent congressional member to face federal charges. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife are facing bribery charges in connection to their “corrupt” relationship with three New Jersey businessmen. The DOJ alleged Menendez and his wife accepted gold bars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from a felon in a trade for help.
Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos was charged with 13 felony counts in May 2023 over accusations that he misled donors and misrepresented finances and was hit with 10 additional counts in October. He has since pleaded not guilty, and a federal criminal trial is on hold to allow him to engage in “continuing plea negotiations.”
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In January, he asked a federal judge for more time to pursue a plea deal, and in April, he withdrew his independent bid for New York’s 1st Congressional District. One New York Republican told the Washington Examiner, “That’s short for: I’m taking a plea deal.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to Furman and Garza for comment.
