Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who voted to impeach President Donald Trump twice, is now a free man thanks to the president in a stunning move that further exploited corruption inside the Joe Biden White House.
According to reports, Trump pardoned Cuellar and his wife Imelda today after both faced federal bribery, money laundering and foreign-agent charges levied by the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ).
Cuellar, 70, was an outspoken critic of Biden’s border policies before the couple was indicted last year for allegedly accepting $600,000 from Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank.
Cuellar began criticizing Biden within weeks of him taking office, saying the border was not secure and demanding a presidential visit beginning in March 2021, which wouldn’t happen for nearly two years.
Trump issued a statement on Truth Social today indicating the rationale behind the surprise pardon.
“For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“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.’
“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy!” Trump wrote.
“They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country. 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!”
According to federal prosecutors, Cuellar, who is a powerful member of the House Appropriations Committee, and his wife accepted bribes between 2014 and 2021 using “sham consulting contracts” and “a series of front companies and middlemen.”
Those companies allegedly were owned by Imelda Cuellar, “who performed little to no legitimate work,” the Justice Department said.
“In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank,” prosecutors said at the time.
Cuellar, who recently filed for reelection to Congress (despite being scorned by members of his own party), faced a possible de facto life sentence if convicted and praised Trump in his own statement.
“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,” Cuellar said. “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on. Thank you Mr. President, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.”
Ironically, Cuellar voted to impeach Trump in both 2019 and 2021, but admitted earlier this year that many Trump administration officials were seeking his input as they launched a border crackdown.
In January 2022, Cuellar’s home was suddenly raided by the FBI, but managed to win re-election later that year, defeating a far-left, progressive primary challenger, Jessica Cisneros, who was backed by both Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
This is not the first time Trump has pardoned a Democratic rival since taking office.
Trump pardoned former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich in February after commuting his prison sentence in 2020 for trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when he was elected president in 2008.
Blagojevich, a former contestant on “The Celebrity Apprentice” hosted by Trump, said he was engaging in normal political activities.