Cuellar Says Biden DOJ Indicted Him Over 'Open Border' Criticism After Trump Pardon

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who was pardoned Wednesday by former President Donald Trump, told Fox News he believes the Department of Justice under the Biden administration indicted him in retaliation for his outspoken criticism of what he calls the administration's 'open border' policies.

Background: In May 2024, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, were indicted on charges alleging bribery and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Prosecutors say the congressman accepted roughly $600,000 from the government of Azerbaijan in exchange for political assistance in Washington. The couple has denied the allegations.

Cuellar's Response: In an interview on 'Sunday Morning Futures' with Maria Bartiromo, Cuellar said he felt he had been 'weaponized' by the DOJ. He maintained his innocence and said his defense team was unusually allowed to review discovery materials and grand jury testimony. According to Cuellar, none of the witnesses who testified indicated a quid pro quo.

'Absolutely. The president was right. And I now — looking at all of the evidence and looking at everything — I definitely feel that I was weaponized,' Cuellar said.

Cuellar also alleged that prosecutors staged a sting operation intended to entrap him into accepting illicit payments, which he says failed. He argued that while he expected to be targeted for his political views, bringing his family into the investigation crossed a line.

'If they want to come after me because I was a critic about open borders, that's one thing. But you don't bring the family in. You just don't do that,' he said.

Pressing him on his contacts with Azerbaijani officials, Bartiromo asked, 'What went on between you and the Azerbaijani government?' Cuellar reiterated that he and his team reviewed the evidence and that he found no witness testimony establishing a quid pro quo.

He further said he has spoken with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan and requested a meeting to discuss a potential inquiry into the prosecutors who pursued the case against him and his wife.

Fox News contributor Leo Briceno contributed reporting to this story.