The indictment of Rep. Henry Cuellar (D‑TX) places the vulnerable Democrat in an even tighter predicament as he seeks reelection this fall, potentially giving an advantage to his Republican challenger in November.
The Justice Department announced a 28-count indictment against the Texas congressman and his wife on Friday, accusing Cuellar of allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: the government of Azerbaijan and a bank based in Mexico City.
Allegations against Cuellar began circulating in 2022, when his home and campaign offices in Laredo, Texas, were raided in January that year as part of the DOJ’s investigation into Azerbaijan and businessmen connected to the nation. In April of that year, Cuellar’s lawyer told several news outlets that the congressman was informed he was not the target of the investigation.
Now, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, are each charged with 14 counts: two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, two counts of bribery of a federal offic …