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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 7 days

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It’s gotten buried a bit underneath news about the negotiations over a cease-fire in Gaza, the related protests on U.S. college campuses, and the ongoing trial of a former president for allegedly covering up payments to a pornography actress, but high-profile Democratic Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar was indicted on Friday by the Department of Justice in Houston. He says he is not guilty of the charges and will stand for reelection as planned this fall.

Cuellar, a relatively conservative Democrat who represents a district that stretches along the U.S.–Mexico border around Laredo and pokes up to San Antonio, is charged with 14 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and so forth related to allegations that he was paid under the table to influence U.S. policy on behalf of Azerbaijan’s national oil company, SOCAR, and the Mexican bank Banco Azteca. (Neither Banco Azteca nor SOCAR, nor any of their employees, have been charged with a crime.)

A longtime incumbent, Cuellar won his general-election race in 2022 by a wide margin. But his district, the 28th, has a significant population of Hispanic and/or Latino voters and has become more Republican in recent years as those groups have trended rightward. The Cook Political Report rates it as having a Democratic “lean” of 3 points—which, roughly speaking, means a generic Democrat would be expected to beat a generic Republican in the district by only a 3-point margin. That’s close enough to mean that Cuellar’s indictment and potential conviction could threaten Dems’ efforts to retake the House of Representatives, which Republicans currently hold by a tenuous four votes.

The case is similar to that of Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, another longtime incumbent who was indicted last September for allegedly accepting bribes from three men in New Jersey who were seeking to influence U.S. policy toward Egypt, among other things. Menendez’s trial is set to begin next week, and he says that if he is not convicted he still might run for reelection in November as an independent. While he’d be very unlikely to win such a race, he could potentially siphon enough votes away from the Democrats’ presumptive nominee, current Rep. Andy Kim, to throw the seat to Republicans.

So, both of these members of Congress are in high-stakes races that they are refusing to drop out of despite facing corruption indictments. But there’s another major similarity between the two stories as well: Wives!

Menendez’s wife Nadine was also charged in his case, and the allegations against the couple include claims that the men accused of seeking favors from the senator bought Nadine Menendez a Mercedes convertible and paid her to hold a fake no-show “job” at a halal-certification business. Cuellar’s wife Imelda was also indicted; she’s accused of receiving the alleged bribe payments from SOCAR and Banco Azteca through shell companies she owned that were ostensibly providing the firms with “consulting” services. The government alleges that, actually, Imelda Cuellar did “little to no legitimate work” in return for the hundreds of thousands of dollars she was paid.

A statement issued by Cuellar says his wife is innocent. Nadine Menendez has pleaded not guilty, although in a disclosure that may have caused some awkwardness around the proverbial Englewood Cliffs dinner table, Robert Mendendez’s attorneys told a judge in January that his potential testimony at trial might implicate her. Since then, however, the pair’s cases have been separated from each other in a way that will preclude anything he says from being used against his spouse.

Does the Democratic Party have an (alleged) Bribery Wife Guy problem? Are liberals soft on wife crime? This fall, the voters will have their say.

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dontmean2bepoliticalbut · 2 years

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reportwire · 2 years

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Mysterious group targeting Gov. Greg Abbott reserves $6 million in TV ads ahead of November election | Texas News | San Antonio

2022-09-09 13:01:00 click to enlarge Texas Tribune / Jordan Vonderhaar Gov. Greg Abbott at a campaign event in Georgetown in January. A shadowy new group has purchased at least $6 million in TV advertisements ahead of the November election and is airing an ad that targets Gov. Greg Abbott as he runs for reelection. The minute-long ad from Coulda Been Worse LLC, which started airing Friday,…

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#2022 ELECTION #Beto O&039;Rourke #Coulda Been Worse LLC #dark money #Dave Carney #Gov. Greg Abbott #governor&039;s race #gubernatorial race #power grid #Texas grid #texas politics #U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar

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odinsblog · 1 year

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HOT TAKE: Conservative Democrats in red states aren’t conservative because “that’s the only way to win in middle America and the South” — they are often conservative because they are well PAID to be conservative

“Together, Sinema and Manchin have caused significant headaches for Democrats over the last two years — first by opposing much of the "Build Back Better" social spending and climate bill and then by opposing Democrats' plans of weakening the Senate's 60-vote filibuster to pass voting rights legislation.

Crow has also made significant contributions to moderate-to-conservative House Democrats.

According to federal campaign finance data, the Texas billionaire has given $16,800 to Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey since 2018, contributing thousands as recently as October 2022.

Gottheimer, a member of the so-called "Unbreakable Nine" of moderate Democrats who insisted on de-linking Build Back Better from the infrastructure bill, has at times been a thorn in the side of his party as well.

And Crow has contributed $12,500 to Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas since 2006. Cuellar, a conservative opponent of abortion rights, faced a strong primary challenge from progressive activist Jessica Cisneros in 2022.

Crow's relationship and lavish vacations with Justice Thomas have raised significant ethics concerns — Thomas never disclosed the flights and yacht trips financed by the GOP megadonor, apparently violating a post-Watergate federal law that requires justices to report gifts.”

👉🏿 https://www.businessinsider.com/sinema-manchin-clarence-thomas-vacations-harlan-crow-megadonor-republican-2023-4

#politics #republicans #harlan crow #clarence thomas #kyrsten sinema #joe manchin #henry cuellar #justice for sale #blue dog democrats #democracy for sale

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beardedmrbean · 7 months

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Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked at gunpoint Monday outside his Washington, DC, apartment building, according to his office.

The 68-year-old south Texas lawmaker was unharmed during the incident in DC’s trendy Navy Yard neighborhood at approximately 9:32 p.m., according to DC’s Metropolitan Police Department.

“As Congressman Cuellar was parking his car this evening, three armed assailants approached the congressman and stole his vehicle,” Cuellar’s chief of staff Jacob Hochberg told The Post.

“Luckily, he was not harmed and is working with local law enforcement. Thank you to Metro PD and Capitol Police for their swift action and for recovering the congressman’s vehicle.”

Cuellar was reportedly outside “a dorm building in which dozens” of House members live, according to Axios reporter Andrew Solender, who cited a group chat used by the lawmakers who occupy the building.

Three men reportedly held guns to Cuellar’s head as they took his phone and vehicle, which was parked on the street, according to the group chat.

An MPD crime alert on the incident says police are on the lookout for “three black males wearing all black clothing” who made off with the congressman’s white Honda with Texas tags.

The alert warns the public to “not take action” but instead call 911 if the vehicle or suspects are spotted.

Capitol Police told The Post that the armed carjacking is being investigated by DC police and USCP investigators.

“Injuries were not reported. Detectives are working to track down the suspects,” a spokesperson for USCP said.

The incident is the latest in a series of violent crimes in the district this year that have affected members of Congress or their staffs.

In February, Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) was assaulted in the elevator of her northeast DC apartment building by a homeless man with a long rap sheet. She suffered bruises as a result of the attack and got away by tossing her hot morning coffee at the assailant.

The following month, a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was brutally attacked in broad daylight by a knife-wielding assailant in DC, on the same street where Craig was assaulted.

The staffer, 26-year-old Phillip Todd, suffered serious injuries in the attack, including multiple stab wounds to the head and chest.

In June, a staffer for Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) was attacked at gunpoint near Nationals Park in Washington, DC, just hours after the conclusion of the annual Congressional Baseball Game.

That staffer suffered minor injuries in the attack, which occurred in the same neighborhood where Cuellar was carjacked.

To date, 750 carjackings have been reported in DC this year alone, with 75% involving a firearm.

That is a 115% increase in the number of carjackings from this time last year, according to DC police crime statistics.

#nunyas news #wonder how many incidents like this #it will take to shift some minds on crime

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tomorrowusa · 3 months

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Republicans demand border reform but whenever it actually becomes a possibility they find ways to sabotage it.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) said it is “irresponsible” to reject a bipartisan border bill “without even reading it” in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Saturday. “The crisis at our Southern Border should not be about party politics. The entire nation is finally feeling the burden that border communities have felt for years,” Cuellar’s post read. “It is irresponsible to reject a bipartisan border security bill without even reading it. We have a crisis at our border that demands solutions now.” “Democrats and Republicans must come together to get the job done,” Cuellar continued. Cuellar also included a clip of a recent interview he did on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in which he questioned how someone could push back against a bipartisan border bill that they haven’t read. “Nobody has seen the text,” Cuellar said. House Republicans appear to be close to striking down a chance at border legislation, despite a history of wanting changes to border and migration policy tied with more Ukraine.

Adjudicated sex offender Donald Trump needs something to distract voters from his legal problems and Nazi rantings. So he's instructed Speaker "MAGA Mike" Johnson to kill the border bill being worked on in the Senate.

The whole point of MAGA Republicans is not to offer policy solutions but to use their positions to engage in a perpetual culture war.

#border security #border reform #migration policy #donald trump #republicans #trump is an adjudicated sex offender #culture wars #'maga mike' johnson #us house of representatives #election 2024

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bighermie · 7 months

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Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, Victim of Recent Carjacking, Previously Voted for Measures to Make it Easier to Defund Police - He Also Supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hᴏft

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modern-politics111 · 11 days

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 2 years

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Incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar was already facing a close runoff in Texas’s 28th Congressional District on May 24, but the recent Supreme Court leak has renewed focus on one potential vulnerability: his record on abortion.

Cuellar, a nine-term Congressman and longtime fixture in his South Texas district, is now the last standing House Democrat who has taken anti-abortion stances. Cuellar’s challenger, progressive Jessica Cisneros, has blasted him on the issue, arguing that “he could very much be the deciding vote on the future of our reproductive rights and we cannot afford to take that risk.”

Though Cisneros and her allies are working to ensure abortion rights shape the race, it’s not yet clear to what extent the issue will affect people’s votes. While Democratic strategists say the fight for abortion rights has energized a segment of voters in the region, Cuellar — whose campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment — has said his views are in line with those in the district.

“If his opponent is going to say that we need to kick him out of office because he’s not in favor of abortion, I don’t think that’s going to get very far. I don’t see that being the deciding factor,” says state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, a Cuellar supporter who also represents part of the district.

Cuellar is one of few congressional Democrats to take a hardline position on abortion. Last year, Cuellar was the only House Democrat to vote against the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to codify the protections from Roe v. Wade. Cuellar maintains that his position hasn’t changed, but notes that he opposes an abortion ban without exceptions for rape, incest, and a mother’s health.

The outcome of the race could offer an early indication of how much the issue of abortion rights energizes Democratic voters. In the March primary, Cisneros and Cuellar were within roughly 2 percentage points of one another, with a third candidate, Tannya Benavides, capturing almost 5 percent of the vote.

“My sense is that it is pretty close,” says Matt Angle, a Texas Democratic strategist who’s not affiliated with either campaign. “I thought for a while that Henry was in better shape in the runoff, and he probably still is. But the Supreme Court leak did change the dynamics. It might have excited her base a little bit.”

ABORTION RIGHTS HAVE ENERGIZED SOME VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT

Texas’s 28th Congressional District has been blue for years, though it’s more moderate and socially conservative than the typical district that progressives have gone after. President Joe Biden won the newly drawn version of the district by just 7 points in 2020, compared to, for example, the more than 60 points he won by in the Missouri district where progressive Rep. Cori Bush felled a longtime incumbent that year.

A predominantly Latino district that includes many Catholic voters, the Texas 28th stretches from the more liberal San Antonio region to more moderate voting bases in Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. Though those demographics may suggest the voters in the district skew anti-abortion, local political experts told Vox that views on abortion rights in the area match up to those in the state overall. According to an April 2022 University of Texas poll, Texas voters are split on the subject, with a plurality who identify as pro-abortion.

“They assume because it’s South Texas and it’s Catholic that it’s a pro-life district. Texas mirrors the national opinions, and even places like Laredo are pro-choice,” says George Shipley, a longtime Democratic consultant in Texas who’s not affiliated with either campaign.

Organizers and Democrats on the ground say they’ve seen the leaked Supreme Court decision energize many voters including young people and women. “I’m Catholic, and yes I’m anti-abortion, but I’m for a woman’s right to choose. I know what just happened has sparked a real response that we didn’t see in 2020,” says Sylvia Bruni, the chair of Webb County Democrats, who’s not affiliated with or backing either candidate.

Still, it’s an open question whether this outrage translates to the polls. Older, more conservative voters are among those more likely to back Cuellar, and historically more likely to show up for a runoff election. “There’s a lot of old-school folks. And as you know, in runoffs, old-school folks vote,” says Susan Korbel, a member of the Bexar County Blue Action Democrats and candidate for a Bexar County commissioner seat, who’s not backing either candidate.

And as is the case in districts across the country, few if any TX-28 residents are single-issue voters. Observers note that voters are weighing a number of issues, including wages and jobs, in addition to abortion rights.

THE OUTCOME COULD SAY A LOT ABOUT THE PARTY’S FUTURE

The results in this race could send a strong message about the strength of the progressive wing of the party, and the degree to which abortion rights are a motivating issue for many voters.

“If she wins, it’s going to send a message to every Democrat that thinks they can equivocate on choice, that they can equivocate on women’s health, that they won’t be able to do that,” says Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, the president of NextGen America and founder of a statewide group dedicated to mobilizing Latino voters in Texas.

Outside organizations like Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Naral are also working to send that message. They’ve mobilized heavily in the wake of the leak, with Naral sending four organizers to the district and launching a new digital ad. Cisneros, meanwhile, has called for House leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who back Cuellar, to withdraw their support over his anti-abortion stance. They’ve argued, though, that they welcome a diverse range of viewpoints in the Democratic caucus.

Progressives have eyed this district as a key target since 2020, when Cisneros came within 4 percentage points of Cuellar in the primary. In addition to abortion rights, Cisneros has sought to draw contrasts with Cuellar on issues like immigration, climate change, and corporate donations.

A Cuellar loss would be significant given how entrenched he is as an 18-year incumbent in the region and an even longer one in the state. Prior to serving in the House, he was a Texas Secretary of State and a state representative, and he has touted his leadership role in Congress as an important advantage for the district.

If her challenge is successful, Cisneros would have to keep the momentum going into the fall. Because the district is a moderate one, experts believe a progressive candidate is likely to have a tougher fight in a general election as Republicans try to cast them as too extreme. “I think the district is Democratic enough that Jessica can win, but I don’t think they should take it for granted,” says Angle.

Cisneros has emphasized that she’s focused on district outreach in her campaign, amid concerns that the region is shifting toward the right. “This area has been reliably Democratic for a very long time,” she previously told Vox. “But that’s also led a lot of incumbents to just take this community for granted. We’re offering an alternative vision of what South Texas can look like.”

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sataniccapitalist · 10 days

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justinspoliticalcorner · 10 days

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Chris Stein at The Guardian:

The US justice department on Friday accused the Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, of accepting about $600,000 in bribes in exchange for influencing policy in favor of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. The Cuellars had made their first appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Houston by the afternoon, but it was not clear how they pleaded. Earlier, the congressman, who has represented a swath of Texas’s border with Mexico in the US House since 2005, issued a statement denying unspecified “allegations” against him. “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar said. He added that “I’m running for re-election and will win this November,” when Democrats are hoping to regain the majority in the House of Representatives.

The justice department said that between December 2014 and November 2021, the Cuellars received bribes from an unspecified bank headquartered in Mexico City as well as an oil and gas company controlled by the government of Azerbaijan. Imelda Cuellar then allegedly used “sham consulting contracts”, front companies and intermediaries to launder the money. In return, the congressman influenced US foreign policy to Azerbaijan’s advantage and pressured unnamed “high-ranking” officials in the executive branch to take actions in favor of the bank. A statement from the House Democratic minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, said that under the party’s rules in the chamber, Cuellar would step down as the ranking member of a homeland security subcommittee while he faces these charges. Jeffries added that Cuellar “admirably devoted his career to public service … is a valued member of the House Democratic caucus” and was “entitled to his day in court and the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process”.

Two years ago, the FBI raided Cuellar’s Laredo, Texas, home and campaign office as part of an investigation into US businessmen and their links with Azerbaijan. Cuellar said he was cooperating with their inquiry, and months later, an attorney for the lawmaker told Fox News that he was not a target of the investigation that led to the raid.

Texas DINO Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda were accused of accepting about $600,000 in bribes in exchange for lobbying for policies favoring Azerbaijan by the DOJ.

This puts the historically Democratic but rapidly red-trending seat in South Texas in further microscope.