House Committee Launches New Ethics Investigation
Embattled Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar is facing increased scrutiny as the House Ethics Committee announced a new investigation into the border-district representative. This development follows a federal indictment against Cuellar for accepting bribes.
The Ethics Committee’s unanimous vote to form an investigative subcommittee is particularly significant. This decision means that the five Democrats on the committee, including Cuellar’s fellow Texas Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar, joined the five Republicans, led by committee chair Michael Guest of Mississippi, in supporting the investigation.
Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, stand accused by the Biden Justice Department of accepting $598,000 in bribes from “foreign entities, including a Mexican bank and an oil and gas company controlled by Azerbaijan,” according to NBC News.
House rules mandate that when a member is charged with a crime, the Ethics Committee must either create an investigative subcommittee or explain to the House within 30 days why it would not do so.
In its Wednesday statement, the Ethics Committee acknowledged the “risks associated with dual investigations” and indicated plans to coordinate with the DOJ to mitigate these risks. The subcommittee, chaired by Guest, will investigate whether Cuellar “solicited or accepted bribes, gratuities, or improper gifts; acted as a foreign agent; violated federal money laundering laws; misused his official position for private gain; and/or made false statements or omissions on public disclosure statements filed with the House.”
Cuellar has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In a statement cited by NBC, he reiterated his innocence, saying, “I respect the work of the House Ethics Committee. As I said on May 3rd, I am innocent of these allegations, and everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas.”
The Ethics Committee’s statement emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the House, stating, “The Committee is aware of the risks associated with dual investigations and is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks while still meeting the Committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.”
As the investigation progresses, Cuellar will be under intense scrutiny. The subcommittee’s formation underscores the seriousness of the charges and the bipartisan commitment to upholding ethical standards in the House. This latest development adds another layer of complexity to Cuellar’s already challenging political situation.