A lawmaker indicted in a bribery scheme involving the Azerbaijani government spent more than half of his campaign funds this term on legal services, records show.
Democratic Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar Spent More than $750,000 was paid to various law firms during the 2024 election period, accounting for about half of the $1.6 million, as authorities investigated allegations of receiving foreign bribes. total According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, the lawmaker spent that time. Department of Justice (DOJ) was indicted Cuellar claimed in early May that the congressman accepted $600,000 in bribes from an oil and gas company affiliated with the Azerbaijani government and a Mexican bank in exchange for shifting U.S. foreign policy in Azerbaijan’s favor.
“I want to make it clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I did in Congress was to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar said. said in a statement denying the charges. “The actions I took in Congress were consistent with those of many of my colleagues and were in the interest of the American people,” he continued. (Related: Department of Justice indicts longtime Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar)
Mr. Kueyar briefly served as co-chairman of the Azerbaijani House of Representatives in parliament, and during his tenure was a defender of the oil-rich white nation.
Mr. Cuellar’s legal payment amount is first reported Written by Open Secret.
U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife charged with bribery, illegal foreign influence, and money laundering scheme
The lawmaker is accused of accepting $600,000 in bribes from two foreign companies in exchange for official acts as a lawmaker.
🔗: https://t.co/V8jzilwdWR pic.twitter.com/aYBaTjSqvN
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 3, 2024
“The bribe payments were allegedly laundered through a series of front companies and intermediaries into a shell company owned by Imelda Cuellar pursuant to a sham consulting contract. Cuellar performed little or no legitimate work under the contract. ” said a Justice Department press release about the indictment. . “In exchange for bribes paid by Azerbaijani oil and gas companies, Congressman Kueyar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan,” the statement said. continues.
The majority of Mr. Cuéllar’s legal costs were paid to Clifford Chance LLP. multinational According to the law firm’s FEC records. Some of the funds went to Perkins Coie, a company with ties to the Democratic Party. Specialized field In political law.
Cuellar’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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