House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation into Indicted Democrat Henry Cuellar

The House Ethics Committee has initiated an investigation into Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) following his indictment on federal bribery charges. The inquiry, announced on Wednesday, will examine whether Cuellar solicited or accepted bribes, acted as a foreign agent, violated money laundering laws, misused his official position for private gain, or made false statements on public disclosure forms.

• Investigation Details
  The investigative subcommittee will be chaired by Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS) with Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) as the ranking member. Reps. Ben Cline (R-VA) and Madeleine Dean (D-PA) will also serve on the team.

• Indictment Background
  Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, were indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in early May. The DOJ accused them of engaging in bribery schemes involving foreign entities, specifically an energy company controlled by Azerbaijan and a bank headquartered in Mexico City. The charges include accepting $600,000 in bribes in exchange for official acts.

• Cuellar’s Response
  Cuellar maintains that he and his wife are innocent, claiming that he sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee and a national law firm. He criticized Washington D.C. prosecutors for refusing to discuss the case with him.

House Ethics Committee rules mandate the formation of an investigative subcommittee or a report to the House within 30 days of a member being formally charged with criminal conduct. The committee unanimously voted to establish the subcommittee, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining the House's integrity while coordinating with the DOJ to avoid conflicts between investigations.

Cuellar, currently running for an 11th term in the House, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the allegations are unfounded. He expressed his frustration with the prosecutors' unwillingness to hear his side of the story, asserting that he proactively sought to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.

The House Ethics Committee concluded its announcement by stating that no further public comments would be made on the matter, adhering to Committee rules.

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