US Rep. Cuellar says he is innocent following indictment reports
2024.05.03 12:22
By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar said on Friday that he and his wife Imelda were innocent of allegations against them as U.S. media reported a pending indictment.
“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations,” Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, said in a statement.
Cuellar did not address whether an indictment against him could be imminent, or address specific allegations. Justice Department officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. media have previously reported that Cuellar’s home and campaign office in Laredo, Texas, were searched by federal law enforcement in January 2022 as part of a probe connected to Azerbaijan and a group of U.S. businessmen.
“Before I took any 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,” Cuellar said in a statement.
He added that he had requested a meeting with federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C. to discuss the investigation, but “they refused to discuss the case with us or to hear our side.”
