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Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, accused the Biden-era Justice Department of exploiting prosecutions following his pardon by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. “Special Report”.
“I opposed the Biden administration on open borders… Absolutely it was weaponized.” Cuellar told Bret Baier of Fox News.
President Trump announced Wednesday he will grant the Texas Democrat and his wife Imelda a “full and unconditional” pardon as they await trial on bribery and money laundering charges.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES HELP OF DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE HENRY CUELLAR
The Democratic lawmaker expressed deep gratitude to Trump.
“I want to thank President Trump for the pardon,” he said. “God has been good to my wife, to my family… I'll definitely say it again, thank you, President Trump.”
President Donald Trump announced the pardon of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, on Truth Social Wednesday. (Nathan Howard/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
US Department of Justice The pair are believed to have received approximately $600,000 in bribes from foreign entities, including an oil company owned by the Azerbaijani government and a Mexican bank, over the course of a seven-year operation.
In May 2024, federal authorities indicted the Cuellars on 14 counts, including bribery, conspiracy and money laundering. The pair have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Cuellar said he received a legal opinion and two ethics opinions “before any work was done,” telling Fox News he was sympathetic to President Trump's legal challenges as a 2024 candidate.
“I really sympathized with him on some of the charges that were brought against him. I think it was very unfair…” the representative explained. “I don’t want to wish on anyone to go through that kind of weaponry.”
Rep. Henry Cuellar, Democrat of Texas, is seen at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The Justice Department accused Cuellar of acting as a foreign agent to further the interests of the Azerbaijani government.
DEMOCRAT CUELLAR WARNES BIDEN: BORDER CRISIS 'ABSOLUTELY' WILL BE AN ELECTION PROBLEM IN 2024
Bret Baier asked Cuellar about how presidential pardon happened, which the Democrat refused to talk about.
“I'm not going to doubt the president other than to say… President Trump, thank you,” he said.
Cuellar has served in Texas's 28th Congressional District since 2005, which is located near an area of heavy migrant traffic along the Rio Grande River.
Rep. Henry Cuellar has been under scrutiny for being on the DCCC's focus list for the 2026 election. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images/AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
The Democratic congressman has repeatedly criticized former President Joe Biden's border policies and supported Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to bus thousands of migrants into major U.S. cities during Biden's administration.
FLASHBACK: WE 'NEED TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES AT THE BORDER,' CUELLAR SAYS
Cuellar confirmed he will run for re-election in 2026, a race expected to be very competitive.
He calls himself a “conservative Democrat” but will remain a Democrat and has reiterated that he wants his party to win the House.
“The liberal Democrats will still have a problem with me because some of them don't believe in bipartisanship,” Cuellar told Fox News. “I work with the Republicans.”
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“I think I vote better than some of the Republicans in the caucus,” he added.
Last year, Cuellar was re-elected six months after his federal indictment in May, defeating his Republican opponent by more than 10,000 votes.
“In my elections, the reason I win is because I get independents and modern Republicans that overlap. And I will get it again,” he said.
