Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, is seen after a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
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PresidentDonald Trumppardoned Texas Democratic Rep.Henry Cuellarand his wife ina federal bribery and conspiracy caseon Wednesday, citing what he called a “weaponized” justice system.
Trump, who has argued that his own legal troubles were a partisan witch hunt, said on social media without presenting evidence that Cuellar and his wife,Imelda Cuellar, were prosecuted because the congressman had been critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
Trump, a Republican, said in a social media post that Cuellar “bravely spoke out against Open Borders” and accused Biden, a Democrat, of going after the congressman and his wife “simply for speaking the TRUTH.”
Federal authorities hadcharged Cuellarand his wife with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman advancing the interests of anAzerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank inMexico. Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable toAzerbaijanand deliver a pro-Azerbaijanspeech on the floor of theU.S. House.
Cuellar has said he and his wife are innocent. The couple’s trial had been set to begin next April.
“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight,” Trump wrote in his social media post announcing the pardon. “Your nightmare is finally over!”
Cuellar, who has served inCongressfor more than 20 years, is a moderate Democrat who represents an area on theTexas-Mexicoborder and has a history of breaking with his party when it comes to immigration and firearms.
He was among the most vocal critics of the Biden administration’s response to a record number of migrants crossing theU.S.-Mexicoborder. He also is one of the lastDemocratsinCongresswho opposes abortion rights.
Cuellar is not the only Democrat Trump has pardoned this year. In February, hepardoned formerIllinoisGov.Rod Blagojevich, five years after he had commuted his sentence in a political corruption case.
Like in Cuellar’s case, Trump suggested thatNew York CityMayorEric Adams, a Democrat, faced federal corruption charges because he made comments critical of Biden’s immigration policies.
Trump did not pardon Adams, but after Trump took office, theJustice Departmentmoved todrop the caseagainst the mayor, who had begun working with the Republican administration on immigration issues.
A topJustice Departmentofficial, who was also Trump’s defense lawyer in several of his cases, stepped in to seek dismissal in the case.
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