The practice of lobbying is common in the United States, but corruption is a serious offense. Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda have been charged with conspiracy and accepting bribes from foreign entities. According to the Department of Justice, the Cuellars allegedly received money from an oil and gas company owned by the Azerbaijani government and a Mexican bank between December 2014 and November 2021, amounting to $600,000.
The federal indictment accuses the Cuellars of engaging in activities to promote Azerbaijan’s foreign policy and influence high-ranking U.S. officials in exchange for illegal remuneration. Imelda Cuellar is said to have been involved in laundering money through false consulting contracts with shell companies. The indictment also alleges that Henry Cuellar influenced legislative measures regarding Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia and accepted bribes to influence federal regulation of the financial sector to benefit the Bank of Mexico.
Cuellar, a conservative Democrat seeking his 11th term in Congress, faces charges of corruption, conspiracy, money laundering, and concealment of money laundering. He and his wife have maintained their innocence and were released on bail after appearing before a magistrate judge. Despite the allegations, Cuellar is entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process.
The Democratic leader in the House of Representatives announced that Cuellar would step down from a committee during the investigation. Cuellar’s legal troubles have cast a shadow over his political career, but his case will proceed through the legal system with the principle of innocence until proven guilty.