Trump Pardons Congressman Henry Cuellar Amid Bribery Case Fallout

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, has been restored to his position as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security following President Donald Trump’s recent pardon of the congressman in a federal bribery and conspiracy case.

“We got ratified,” Cuellar told reporters after Democrats voted to reinstate him to the powerful spending panel.

Trump granted Cuellar and his wife clemency last week, citing what he called a “weaponized” justice system. Federal authorities had charged Cuellar and his wife with accepting about $600,000 in bribes in exchange for advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico.

Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and delivering a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the House floor. He has maintained that he and his wife are innocent. The couple’s trial was scheduled to begin next April.

Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., said there was no reason to bar Cuellar from the post: “Just look at the rules. There’s nothing more to say.”

Some Democrats expressed concerns about reinstating him. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., who is running for Senate, stated: “I’ve had nothing but good interactions with Henry in Congress, but we can’t be the party of following the law and say it’s just fine to break it and get a pardon from Trump.”

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., criticized President Trump’s actions, saying: “President Trump’s continued efforts to pardon politicians that are either convicted or accused of corruption is just wrong. And this is exactly the kind of problem that causes so many Americans to lose trust and faith in our politics.”

Cuellar, who filed for reelection as a Democrat in his South Texas district, has described himself as a “conservative Democrat” and urged Republicans to investigate what he calls misconduct by prosecutors in his case. His district, already a top GOP target, is now likely to see attacks from both parties over his relationship with Trump. Trump has alternately defended Cuellar as a victim of “weaponized” justice and blasted him for refusing to switch parties.