Trump pardons Cuellar in bribery and conspiracy case

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case on Wednesday, citing what he called a “weaponized” justice system.

Trump, who said his legal troubles were a partisan witch hunt, said on social media that the congressman and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, were being prosecuted because Henry Cuellar was critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

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Trump, a Republican, said in a social media post that Cuellar “courageously spoke out against open borders” and accused Biden, a Democrat, of going after the congressman and his wife “simply for telling the truth.”

Federal authorities accused Cuellar, 69, and his wife of accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for the congressman promoting the interests of an energy company controlled by Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence pro-Azerbaijan legislation and delivering a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

Cuellar said he and his wife are innocent.

“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight,” Trump wrote in his social media post announcing the pardon. “Your nightmare is finally over!”

Read more: The Justice Department quietly replaced Trump’s “identical” signatures on recent pardons

The couple’s trial was scheduled to begin next April. Cuellar has served in Congress for more than 20 years, and his district extends from San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas.

This story is evolving and will be updated.