In a surprising move, Donald Trump has declared his intention to pardon a sitting liberal congressman who faces charges of bribery and operating as a foreign agent.
On Wednesday morning, the former President took to social media to announce he would extend clemency to Representative Henry Cuellar from Texas and his wife, Imelda.
The couple, aged 70 and 69 respectively, were indicted by the Department of Justice last year. They stand accused of accepting $600,000 in bribes from a Mexican bank and an oil and gas firm based in Azerbaijan.
According to the indictment, these funds were allegedly funneled through shell companies set up by Imelda. The Cuellar’s adult daughters, Christy and Catie, were reportedly involved in establishing these entities to facilitate the laundering of money.
The money was purportedly used for various expenses, including credit card bills, automobile purchases, tax payments, dining, and shopping sprees, such as the purchase of a $12,000 gown.
Trump justified his intervention by alleging that the couple was targeted due to their stance against former President Joe Biden’s liberal border policies.
He wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: ‘For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them.
‘One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to “take out” a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border “Catastrophe.”‘
Representative Henry Cuellar, walks from his office to the House chamber to vote on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Washington, DC
The DOJ had claimed that ‘Cuellar promised to use the power and prestige of his office to advance Azerbaijan’s and Foreign Bank-1’s interests in the United States.’
If convicted on all counts, the couple would have spent the rest of their lives behind bars.
In his social media post, Trump also accused Democrats of ‘un-American’ activity for trying to ‘decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda.’
He also attached a letter from the Cuellars’ daughters, in which they pleaded with the President to help their embattled parents.
‘Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!’
Cuellar thanked the President for the pardon on Wednesday morning.
He wrote on X: ‘I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas.’
‘This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on,’ Cuellar’s statement continued.
‘Happy Valentine’s Day from my family to yours! Today, I am blessed for my amazing wife, Imelda, and two beautiful daughters, Catie and Christina. I’m thankful for these incredible women in my life,’ Congressman Henry Cuellar posted on Instagram. His wife, Imelda Ceullaer, can be seen on the left
Despite not knowing the liberal congressman, Trump has spoken out in his defense on multiple occasions.
Shortly after Biden’s DOJ announced charges against the Cuellars on May 3, 2024, the Republican railed against the congressman’s prosecution.
‘Biden just Indicted Henry Cuellar because the Respected Democrat Congressman wouldn’t play Crooked Joe’s Open Border game,’ Trump posted on social media two days after the charges were announced.
According to the DOJ, the Cuellars’ alleged scheme ran ‘at least’ from December 2014 to November 2021. The couple faced up to 204 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
The Texas Democrat’s home was raided by the FBI in January 2022 as part of an investigation into his ties to Azerbaijani businessmen.
He was accused of acting as a foreign agent after delivering a speech favoring the country in Congress as well as allegedly putting provisions into aid bills to benefit those who were paying bribes to his family.
Cuellar insisted at the time: ‘I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations.’
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
