WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda, who had faced federal bribery, money laundering and foreign-agent charges.

Cuellar, 70, was an outspoken critic of former President Joe Biden’s border policies before the couple was indicted last year for allegedly accepting $600,000 from Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank.
The South Texas Democrat began criticizing Biden within weeks of him taking office — saying the border was not secure and demanding a presidential visit beginning in March 2021, which wouldn’t happen for nearly two years.

“For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

President Trump announced Wednesday that he will pardon Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who had faced federal bribery charges. AP

Cuellar was indicted last year on federal charges for allegedly accepting $600,000 from Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank in exchange for official acts. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

“One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to ‘take out’ a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border ‘Catastrophe.’

“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy!” the president wrote.

Federal agents search the home of US Rep. Henry Cuellar in Laredo, Texas, on Jan. 19, 2022. AP

“They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country. Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!”

Migrants crowd a room with walls of plastic sheeting at the US Customs and Border Protection temporary processing center in Donna, Texas, in 2021. via REUTERS

Cuellar, who had faced a possible de facto life sentence, praised Trump in his own statement and also filed for reelection to Congress — as a Democrat.

“I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas,” Cuellar said. “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on. Thank you Mr. President, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.”

Cuellar was not close with Trump during his first term — voting to impeach him in both 2019 and 2021 — but revealed earlier this year that many Trump administration officials were seeking his input as they launched a border crackdown.

The congressman’s home was raided by the FBI in January 2022, but he managed to be re-elected later that year, fending off a left-wing primary challenger, Jessica Cisneros, who was backed by socialist Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

According to federal prosecutors, the House Appropriations Committee member and his wife accepted bribes between 2014 and 2021 using “sham consulting contracts” and “a series of front companies and middlemen.”

Those companies allegedly were owned by Imelda Cuellar, “who performed little to no legitimate work,” the Justice Department said.

“In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank,” prosecutors said.

Rep. Henry Cuellar was pardoned by Trump. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Trump, who was himself indicted criminally in two separate cases by the Biden Justice Department, is sympathetic to claims of persecution by the prior administration, but Democrats seeking clemency have had mixed results.

Trump has not pardoned former New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who started an 11-year prison sentence in June for serving as a secret agent of Egypt and accepting gold bars as payment. Menendez has claimed he was targeted for political reasons.

Trump did pardon former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich in February after commuting his prison sentence in 2020 for trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when he was elected president in 2008. Blagojevich, a former contestant on “The Celebrity Apprentice” hosted by Trump, said he was engaging in normal political activities.