Democratic Congressman to Be Indicted on Federal Charges: Report
Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas is set to be indicted by the Department of Justice by the end of the day on Friday, according to a report.
Two people familiar with an indictment told NBC News on Friday morning that the long-serving congressman will face federal charges.
It was unknown early Friday afternoon what those charges would be.
Cuellar’s Laredo, Texas, home and campaign office were raided by federal agents in January 2022.
NBC News said it wasn’t known if the coming federal indictment is related to that raid.
The raid was said to have concerned an investigation into Cuellar and businessmen with ties to Azerbaijan.
Subpoenas were issued and served for both the congressman and his wife, Imelda.
The Texas Democrat was once the co-chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.
In a statement to NBC News on Friday, Cuellar defended himself and his wife against any “allegations” of wrongdoing.
But he did not say what crime or crimes he was accused of having committed.
“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,” Cuellar 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.”
He added, “Imelda and I have been married for 32 years. On top of being an amazing wife and mother, she’s an accomplished businesswoman with two degrees. She spent her career working with banking, tax, and consulting.
“The allegation that she is anything but qualified and hard working is both wrong and offensive.”
Cuellar also told NBC News he will run for re-election this fall no matter what accusations are contained in the expected indictment.
“Let me be clear, I’m running for re-election and will win this November,” he said.
Cuellar was first elected to represent Texas’ 28th Congressional District in 2004.
In 2022, the congressman defeated his primary challenger, Democrat Jessica Cisneros, by just 281 votes to advance to the general election.
He defeated Republican candidate Cassy Garcia in the general by double digits, 57 percent to 43 percent.
Cuellar, who is the only strongly pro-life Democrat in the House, did not face a primary challenge this year and is a heavy favorite to secure another term.
NBC News reported his staffers were on the phone Friday morning desperately seeking advice from other congressional staffers regarding how to handle imminent criminal charges of their boss.
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