Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuéllar was indicted on Friday along with his wife on bribery and conspiracy charges over their ties with Azerbaijan.
Concretely, both were accused of accepting over half a million dollars from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico between 2014 and 2021, AP reported. In exchange, they sought to advance their interests in the U.S.
The news agency added that Cuéllar agreed to influence legislation favorable to the former Soviet republic and deliver a friendly speech on the House floor.
The representative was at one point the co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus. He also traveled to the country in 2013 and two years later announced a research agreement between a Texas university and an organization called the Assembly of Friends of Azerbaijan.
Cuéllar released a statement shortly after claiming he and his wife are innocent. "Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas," Cuéllar said.
"Before I took action, I proactively sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee, who gave me more than one written opinion, along with an additional opinion from a national law firm. Furthermore, we requested a meeting with the Washington D.C. prosecutors to explain the facts and they refused to discuss the case with us or hear our side," the document adds.
Cuéllar is not strange to controversy. Among Democrats he's seen as a hardliner in terms of immigration policy being vocal in his support to strong deportation measures. He also was on the national spotlight some months ago as he was robbed at gunpoint in Washington, D.C.
Regarding the alleged corruption case, Cuéllar's situation bears a significant resemblance to that of fellow Democrat and Latino, Bob Menéndez, who, along with his wife, is accused of accepting bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, and even a luxury car. These were allegedly to aid and protect three local businessmen and to benefit the governments of Qatar and Egypt. They have also been accused of attempting to obstruct the investigation against them.
Menéndez, whose trial is set to begin this month, may blame his wife in the case, with documents showing that the senator's lawyers said he might testify about communications between the marriage which could show "ways in which she withheld information" or "otherwise led him to believe that nothing unlawful was taking place."
Menéndez faced numerous calls to resign but has refused to do so. Instead, he announced that he won't seek reelection as a Democrat and will do as an independent if cleared of his charges by the summer.
However, a recent poll shows that his decades-long standing in local and national politics might not help him retain his seat.
The survey, conducted by Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill, showed Menendez with a meager 9 percent support in the general election, compared to 49 percent for the Democratic candidate and 42 percent for the Republican one.
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