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Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, Wife Indicted for Bribery

The Department of Justice introduced the indictment of U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his spouse, Imelda, on fees of accepting bribes. Cuellar, the consultant for Texas 28^th Congressional District, has been in workplace since 2005. The indictments come greater than two years after brokers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation served a search warrant on Cuellar’s Laredo house.

DOJ officers acknowledged that the congressman and his spouse are charged with accepting practically $600,000 in bribes from an power firm in Azerbaijan. Cuellar and his spouse appeared earlier than Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo in Houston.

Prosecutors declare the couple accepted the bribes from the power firm managed by the Government of Azerbaijan and a financial institution positioned in Mexico City. The funds had been laundered by way of sham consulting contracts. The congressman then offered affect for the power firm to have an effect on U.S. overseas coverage and to strain U.S. Executive Branch officers to learn the financial institution’s curiosity, prosecutors acknowledged.

In January 2022, Cuellar’s house on Estate Drive in Laredo was raided by federal authorities. At the time of the raid, Breitbart Texas contacted Cuellar’s Office who confirmed the search warrant was executed on the deal with and added that “Congressman Cuellar will fully cooperate in any investigation. He is committed to ensuring that justice and the law are upheld,” in line with Cuellar’s Press Secretary Dana Yougentob.

According to an Associated Press information report shortly after the raid, Cuellar’s legal professional Joshua Berman issued an announcement indicating the congressman was not the goal of the investigation in line with federal authorities. According to legislation enforcement authorities, the raid on Cuellar’s residence in 2022 was in connection to an ongoing federal investigation associated to Azerbaijan and improprieties involving U.S. businessmen with the nation.

At the time of the raids, Cuellar was the co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus. According to the CIA world factbook, the oil-rich nation is predominantly Muslim and has a historical past of corruption. The factbook describes points throughout the nation stating:

Since gaining its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has considerably decreased the poverty charge and has directed some income from its oil and gasoline manufacturing to develop the nation’s infrastructure. However, corruption stays a burden on the economic system, and Western observers and members of the nation’s political opposition have accused the federal government of authoritarianism.

In an announcement issued by Cuellar on Friday, the congressman says he and his spouse are harmless of any allegations which have surfaced in latest media studies and proceed to disclaim any wrongdoing.

In the assertion, Cuellar stated “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas.” The congressman continues to hunt re-election this November. In November, Cuellar will face the winner of the Republican Primary runoff election the place Jay Furman and Lazaro Garza, Jr. are vying for the nomination

The Cuellars face the next fees, in line with the DOJ:

Two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official and to have a public official act as an agent of a overseas principal, 5 years in jail on every rely; two counts of bribery of a federal official, 15 years in jail on every rely; two counts of conspiracy to commit sincere providers wire fraud, 20 years in jail on every rely; two counts of violating the ban on public officers appearing as brokers of a overseas principal, two years in jail on every rely; one rely of conspiracy to commit concealment cash laundering, 20 years in jail; and 5 counts of cash laundering, 20 years in jail on every rely.

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served because the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for 9 Border Patrol Stations throughout the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.

Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border crew’s affiliate editor and senior information contributor. He is an unique member of the Breitbart Texas crew. Price is a daily panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning discuss present. He additionally serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.