Breaking Report: Democrat Congressman to Be Indicted on Federal Charges
Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas is reportedly facing indictment by the Department of Justice by the end of Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Two individuals with knowledge of the situation informed NBC News on Friday morning that the long-serving congressman will be charged with federal offenses.
As of early Friday afternoon, the specific charges were not disclosed.
Cuellar's residence in Laredo, Texas, and his campaign office were subject to federal raids in January 2022.
It remains unclear if the impending federal indictment is connected to the aforementioned raid, which reportedly involved an investigation into Cuellar and businessmen associated with Azerbaijan.
Subpoenas were issued for both the congressman and his wife, Imelda, in relation to the investigation.
Cuellar, who was previously the co-chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, issued a statement to NBC News defending himself and his wife against any allegations of misconduct.
However, he did not specify the nature of the alleged crimes.
"I want to make it clear that both my wife and I deny these allegations. My actions in Congress have always been in the service of the people of South Texas," Cuellar stated. "The decisions I made in Congress were in line with those made by many of my colleagues and in the best interests of the American public."
He continued, "Imelda and I have been married for 32 years. Besides being an exceptional wife and mother, she is a highly accomplished businesswoman with two degrees. Her career has focused on banking, taxation, and consulting. Any suggestion otherwise about her qualifications and work ethic is both false and offensive."
Cuellar also informed NBC News that he intends to run for re-election this fall despite the expected indictment.
"I want to be clear—I am running for re-election and will emerge victorious this November," he affirmed.
Cuellar has represented Texas' 28th Congressional District since 2004. In 2022, he narrowly defeated Democrat Jessica Cisneros in the primary by just 281 votes, advancing to the general election where he defeated Republican candidate Cassy Garcia by a significant margin of 57 percent to 43 percent.
As the sole strongly pro-life Democrat in the House, Cuellar faced no primary challengers this year and is heavily favored to secure another term.
NBC News reported that Cuellar's staff members were seeking advice from other congressional staffers on how to handle their boss's impending criminal charges during phone calls on Friday morning.