President Donald Trump said that he’s giving a “full and unconditional pardon” to Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas. This is an extremely rare move because Cuellar was charged last year with serious conspiracy and bribery crimes, which he says he didn’t do. Trump also confirmed he will pardon Cuellar’s wife, Imelda, who faced the same charges.
This decision creates a huge political mess. Trump has pardoned former Democrats before, but pardoning someone who currently sits in Congress is almost unheard of. According to Axios, Cuellar and his wife were charged in May 2024 and accused of taking nearly $600,000 in bribes.
