Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., grew to become the primary Home Democrat to name on Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to resign, hours after Cuellar was indicted on bribery and cash laundering fees.
“Whereas the bar for Federal indictment is excessive, belief in our authorities is low,” Phillips mentioned in a press release posted to his social media. “That’s why workplace holders and candidates below indictment ought to resign or finish their campaigns, together with Sen. Bob Menendez, Donald Trump, & Rep. Henry Cuellar.”
Menendez, additionally a Democrat, faces obstruction of justice fees related to bribery allegations. Former President Trump is on trial for alleged hush cash funds he made earlier than the 2016 election.
DEMOCRATIC TEXAS REP. HENRY CUELLAR INDICTED BY DOJ ON CONSPIRACY AND BRIBERY CHARGES
The Division of Justice indicted Cuellar and his spouse Imelda on conspiracy and bribery fees Friday for $600,000 in bribes they allegedly accepted between 2014 and 2021 from an Azerbaijan-based vitality firm and a financial institution in Mexico Metropolis to advance the previous Soviet republic’s pursuits within the U.S.
Each have been launched on bond, Fox Information has confirmed.
Federal regulation enforcement raided Cuellar’s home and workplace in 2022 as a part of an investigation into a gaggle of U.S. businessmen and their ties to the nation. The consultant and his workplace agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
Cuellar launched a press release Friday following experiences of the upcoming indictment, declaring he and his spouse are harmless with out specifying the fees.
“I wish to be clear that each my spouse and I are harmless of those allegations,” wrote Cuellar. “All the things I’ve accomplished in Congress has been to serve the individuals of Texas.”
The Texas consultant particularly defended his spouse and her {qualifications}, as soon as once more with out specifying the character of the indictments.
SEN. BOB MANENDEZ MAY BLAME HIS WIFE NADINE DURING FEDERAL CORRUPTION TRIAL: COURT DOCUMENTS
“Imelda and I’ve been married 32 years. On high of being a tremendous spouse and mom, she’s an achieved businesswoman with two levels. She spent her profession working with banking, tax, and consulting. The allegation that she is something however certified and arduous working is each fallacious and offensive,” he wrote.
Cuellar, 68, and his spouse, 67, made their first court docket look Friday earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Dena Palermo in Houston.
“The bribe funds have been allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, by means of a collection of entrance corporations and middlemen into shell corporations owned by Imelda Cuellar, who carried out little to no respectable work below the contracts,” the DOJ mentioned of the indictments.
“In trade for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gasoline firm, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to make use of his workplace to affect U.S. international coverage in favor of Azerbaijan. In trade for the bribes paid by the Mexican financial institution, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to affect legislative exercise and to advise and stress high-ranking U.S. Govt Department officers relating to measures useful to the financial institution.”
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They every face two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official and to have a public official act as an agent of a international principal, two counts of bribery of a federal official, two counts of conspiracy to commit trustworthy providers wire fraud, two counts of violating the ban on public officers appearing as brokers of a international principal, one depend of conspiracy to commit concealment cash laundering and 5 counts of cash laundering.
Fox Information’ Chad Pergram, Kelly Phares and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.