Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., has called for Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to resign following Cuellar’s indictment on bribery and money laundering charges. Phillips stated that trust in the government is low and that elected officials facing indictment should resign, citing examples such as Sen. Bob Menendez and former President Trump. Cuellar and his wife are accused of accepting $600,000 in bribes between 2014 and 2021 from an Azerbaijan-based energy company and a bank in Mexico City to further Azerbaijan’s interests in the U.S. They have both been released on bond pending further legal proceedings. Cuellar has maintained his innocence, stating that everything he has done in Congress has been to serve the people of Texas.
Cuellar defended his wife, Imelda, and her qualifications, emphasizing her experience as a businesswoman with two degrees. The indictment alleges that the bribe payments were laundered through sham consulting contracts and shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. According to the Department of Justice, Cuellar agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan and to influence legislative activity and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials on behalf of the Mexican bank in exchange for the bribes. The couple faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery of a federal official, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, violating the ban on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
Cuellar and his wife made their first court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Houston and are awaiting further legal proceedings. The indictment alleges that the bribes were funneled through various front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who allegedly did little to no legitimate work under the contracts. Cuellar maintains his innocence and asserts that the allegations against him and his wife are false. The investigation into a group of U.S. businessmen and their ties to foreign entities led to the raid on Cuellar’s house and office in 2022.
In response to the indictment, Rep. Phillips called for Cuellar to resign, highlighting the importance of accountability and trust in government. The cases of Menendez and Trump were also mentioned as examples of politicians facing legal issues. Cuellar has not specified the charges against him and his wife, but he has stated that they are innocent and that their actions have always been in service of the people of Texas. The charges against the couple include conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. The DOJ alleges that the Cuellars accepted bribes in exchange for influencing U.S. foreign policy and legislative activity on behalf of foreign entities.
The Cuellars are accused of accepting bribes totaling $600,000 from foreign entities between 2014 and 2021. The payments were allegedly laundered through sham contracts and shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. The DOJ asserts that the bribes were given in exchange for the couple’s influence on U.S. foreign policy and legislative activities. The Cuellars face numerous charges related to bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. Despite the indictment, Cuellar maintains his innocence and expresses confidence in his and his wife’s integrity. The legal proceedings against the Cuellars are ongoing, and they have been released on bond pending further developments.
