‘Rob, lie, cheat, destroy’: Trump slams Dems, says he is pardoning Rep. Henry Cuellar indicted on bribery charges

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is pardoning Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was indicted last year on more than a dozen federal charges related to bribery and money laundering charges. Trump claimed the prosecution was the result of weaponisation by the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden. In his Truth Social post, Trump accused Democrats of working to “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,” Trump said in the post, referring to Cuellar’s wife.

“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!,” added Trump alleging that Cuellar’s opposition to Biden’s immigration policies was the reason he was indicted.

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Cuellars’ daughters, Christina and Catherine, had in a letter urged Trump to pardon their father, arguing that they “believe that our father’s independence and honesty may have contributed to how this case began.”

“When you and your family faced your own challenges, we understood that pain in a very human way,” they added in the letter, which Trump posted on Truth Social. “We prayed for you and your family — for your strength, your peace, and your faith to stay strong — because we know that behind the headlines, there are real people who hurt, who love, and who still hope for better days.”

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The Justice Department indicted Cuellar and his wife in May 2024 on 14 counts, including bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering. In August, a US district court dismissed two of the counts, which were related to alleged violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

In last year’s indictment, federal prosecutors accused Cuellar of accepting “at least $598,000 in bribes”

from an oil and gas company owned by the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank in exchange for the congressman agreeing “to perform official acts in his capacity as a Member of Congress.”

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“The bribe payments were laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by IMELDA CUELLAR,” the initial indictment said, alleging that she “performed little or no legitimate work under the sham contracts.”

It accused the Democrat of promising “to use the power and prestige of his office to advance” the interests of Azerbaijan and an unnamed foreign bank.

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