Trump Pardons Congressman Cuellar in Bribery Case, Citing ‘Weaponized’ Justice System
A controversial pardon granted by former President Donald Trump to Texas Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife raises questions about political motivations and the integrity of the legal process.
President Donald Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, in a federal bribery and conspiracy case. Trump justified the decision by claiming a “weaponized” justice system, echoing arguments he has previously made regarding his own legal challenges. He asserted, without providing supporting evidence, that the Cuellars were targeted due to Rep. Cuellar’s criticism of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
Trump, speaking via social media, stated that Cuellar “bravely spoke out against Open Borders” and accused the Biden administration of pursuing the case against the couple “simply for speaking the TRUTH.” Federal authorities had charged the Cuellars with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for Rep. Cuellar’s influence in advancing the interests of an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a Mexican bank. The congressman was accused of agreeing to shape legislation to benefit Azerbaijan and deliver a supportive speech on the House floor.
Rep. Cuellar has consistently maintained his and his wife’s innocence. The couple’s trial had been scheduled to begin in April 2025. “Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “Your nightmare is finally over!” Attorneys for the Cuellars and a spokesperson for President Biden did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Despite the pardon, Rep. Cuellar remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The investigation, initiated in May 2024 shortly after his indictment, was reauthorized in July 2024. The committee confirmed it is coordinating with the Justice Department to manage the complexities of concurrent investigations while upholding its responsibility to maintain the integrity of the House.
A moderate Democrat representing a district along the Texas-Mexico border for over two decades, Rep. Cuellar has frequently deviated from his party’s platform on issues such as immigration and firearms. He has been a particularly vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the surge in migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and stands as one of the few remaining Democrats in Congress who opposes abortion rights.
This is not the first instance of Trump pardoning a Democrat. In February 2024, he pardoned former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, five years after commuting his sentence in a separate political corruption case. Trump similarly suggested that federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, stemmed from critical remarks about Biden’s immigration policies. While Trump did not issue a pardon for Adams, the Justice Department under his administration moved to drop the case after Adams began collaborating with the Republican administration on immigration matters. A senior Justice Department official, who also served as Trump’s legal counsel in several cases, reportedly intervened to seek the dismissal of the charges.
It is worth noting that an earlier version of this story contained an inaccurate reference to Rep. Cuellar’s age, which has been corrected to 70.
Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Kevin Freking in Washington and Juan Lozano in Houston contributed to this report.
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