3 weeks ago
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., became nan first Democrat to telephone connected Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to resign hours aft he was indicted connected bribery and money laundering charges.
"While nan barroom for Federal indictment is high, spot successful our authorities is low," Phillips said successful a connection posted to his societal media. "That’s why agency holders and candidates nether indictment should resign aliases extremity their campaigns, including Sen. Bob Menendez, Donald Trump, & Rep. Henry Cuellar."
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, also a Democrat, faces obstruction of justness charges connected to bribery allegations. Former President Trump is presently connected proceedings for alleged hush money payments he made earlier nan 2016 election.
DEMOCRATIC TEXAS REP HENRY CUELLAR INDICTED BY DOJ ON CONSPIRACY AND BRIBERY CHARGES
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was indicted connected bribery charges Friday. ( Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The Department of Justice indicted Cuellar and his woman Imelda connected conspiracy and bribery charges Friday successful relationship pinch $600,000 successful bribes they allegedly accepted betwixt 2014 and 2021 from an Azerbaijan-based power institution and a slope successful Mexico City to beforehand nan erstwhile Soviet republic's interests successful nan U.S.
The mates person been released connected bond, Fox News has confirmed.
Federal rule enforcement raided Cuellar's location and agency successful 2022 arsenic part of an investigation into a group of U.S. businessmen, and their ties to nan country. The typical and his agency agreed to cooperate pinch nan investigation.
Cuellar released a connection connected Friday pursuing reports of nan upcoming indictment, declaring some himself and his woman arsenic guiltless without specifying nan charges.
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., is nan first Democrat to telephone chap Democratic Rep. Cuellar to resign. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"I want to beryllium clear that some my woman and I are guiltless of these allegations," wrote Cuellar. "Everything I person done successful Congress has been to service nan group of Texas."
The Texas representative specifically defended his woman and her qualifications, erstwhile again without specifying nan quality of nan indictments.
SEN BOB MANENDEZ MAY BLAME HIS WIFE NADINE DURING FEDERAL CORRUPTION TRIAL: COURT DOCUMENTS
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., besides faces national charges. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
"Imelda and I person been joined 32 years. On apical of being an astonishing woman and mother, she's an accomplished businesswoman pinch 2 degrees. She spent her profession moving pinch banking, tax, and consulting. The allegation that she is thing but qualified and difficult moving is some incorrect and offensive," he wrote.
Cuellar, 68, and his wife, 67, made their first tribunal quality connected Friday successful beforehand of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo successful Houston.
"The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, done a bid of beforehand companies and middlemen into ammunition companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed small to nary morganatic activity nether nan contracts," nan DOJ said of nan indictments. "In speech for nan bribes paid by nan Azerbaijani lipid and state company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to usage his agency to power U.S. overseas argumentation successful favour of Azerbaijan. In speech for nan bribes paid by nan Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to power legislative activity and to counsel and unit high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to nan bank."
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They each look 2 counts of conspiracy to perpetrate bribery of a national charismatic and to person a nationalist charismatic enactment arsenic an supplier of a overseas principal, 2 counts of bribery of a national official, 2 counts of conspiracy to perpetrate honorable services ligament fraud, 2 counts of violating nan prohibition connected nationalist officials acting arsenic agents of a overseas principal, 1 count of conspiracy to perpetrate concealment money laundering, and 5 counts of money laundering.
Fox News' Chad Pergram, Kelly Phares and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
