House Dem pardoned by Trump reveals whether he will switch political parties
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, moderate South Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar expressed his gratitude following a full pardon granted by former President Donald Trump. Cuellar, who faced serious legal troubles stemming from allegations of bribery linked to an Azerbaijan-owned energy firm and a Mexican bank, described the ordeal as a challenging time for his family. He emphasized his appreciation for both Trump and God, stating, “It was a very difficult time for my family, my daughters, my wife… but we came through this.” Cuellar also underscored his belief that he was unfairly targeted by the Biden administration, particularly after he publicly criticized the administration’s border policies—a stance that he claims led to significant media scrutiny and the subsequent legal actions against him.
The context surrounding Cuellar’s pardon is particularly noteworthy, as it comes just weeks before a critical election, during which Cuellar faced a competitive primary challenge. He highlighted the suspicious timing of the indictment, which he believes was influenced by his outspoken criticism of Biden’s border policies. Cuellar reiterated his commitment to bipartisanship, stating, “Nothing has changed. I’m a conservative blue dog… I certainly want to work with the administration.” Despite the pardon, he affirmed his identity as a Democrat, emphasizing his desire to collaborate on issues where he and the administration can find common ground. Trump, in his announcement of the pardon, accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department against political opponents, framing Cuellar’s situation as emblematic of broader partisan conflicts.
Looking ahead, Cuellar is poised to focus on key issues, particularly border security, which he predicts will be a significant topic in the upcoming election cycle. He urged President Biden to address these concerns proactively, suggesting that it would be politically beneficial for the administration to seek solutions on border security. Cuellar’s pardon not only alleviates his legal burdens but also allows him to refocus on his legislative priorities, stating, “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on.” As Cuellar navigates the aftermath of his pardon, his commitment to bipartisanship and effective governance remains a central theme in his political narrative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSg63slvlUc
FIRST ON FOX:
Moderate South Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar revealed his feelings about his
pardon by President Donald Trump
and addressed whether he will be switching political parties.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Cuellar said, “I’m certainly very thankful to the president, thankful to the president, and also very thankful to God. It was a very difficult time for my family, my daughters, my wife, a very difficult time, but we came through this.”
Asked whether he agrees with Trump that he was targeted by the
Biden administration
, Cuellar said, “Absolutely, absolutely.”
“We looked up how many times I got on national TV and national media; it was over 150 times. I was very critical of the Biden administration,” he said. “I tried very hard to get them to understand the border. I live there, they just wouldn’t take it, and after that I started criticizing them.”
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“The timing of this was very suspect, 40 days before an election, if you recall, I was having that primary race where they spent $20 million against me and more things that we’re going to talk about that makes it very, very suspect. And remember, I had a legal opinion by a law firm, I had two ethics opinions on this, and they went ahead and moved forward on this.”
Cuellar said that amid the investigation, the Trump team called him up and asked, “What’s going on?”
On the question of whether he would be switching parties after the pardon, Cuellar said, “Nothing has changed. I’m a conservative blue dog, I will work with the president like I have done with him on the things that we can agree on, we can agree on a lot of things.”
“But as a very conservative Democrat, I’m good here,” he went on, adding, “But I’m very bipartisan. I certainly want to work with the administration. In fact, some of his folks have reached out to me about working on some things together, and we’re going to work together.”
“We’re going to continue to focus on work, and we’re ready to move forward on work, but again I certainly want to thank the president for this pardon,” he told Fox News Digital.
Trump announced a ”
full and unconditional pardon
” for Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, on Wednesday.
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The
Department of Justice
under the Biden administration had indicted Cuellar and his wife in May 2024 for allegedly taking roughly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-owned energy company and a Mexican bank, according to a
news release at the time.
The move came after he began speaking out against former President
Joe Biden
’s lax border policies.
In his statement announcing the pardon, Trump wrote, “For years, the Biden Administration weaponized the Justice System against their Political Opponents, and anyone who disagreed with them. 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! 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,” Trump continued. “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!”
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In January 2024, Cuellar warned fellow Democrats, including President Biden, to prepare for
border security
to be a top election issue in the 2024 cycle.
Speaking of Biden, he said, “It’s in the president’s best interest politically to come up
with a solution
on border security.”
In a statement following the pardon, Cuellar said, “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,” he added. “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.”
