Trump praises Rep. Cuellar as a “respected Democrat congressman”

Former President Donald Trump strongly criticized President Joe Biden on Monday for the indictment of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, alleging on Truth Social that the charges were brought against Cuellar due to his opposition to Biden’s policies on the southern border.

Cuellar and his wife were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges on Friday as part of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into relations between U.S. business leaders and the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.

“Biden just indicted Henry Cuellar because the respected Democrat congressman wouldn’t comply with Crooked Joe’s open border agenda,” Trump stated. “He supported border control, so they decided to use the FBI and DOJ to target him!”

Trump further added that “this is their modus operandi. They are a group of D.C. thugs, and they will eventually pay a heavy price for the harm they have inflicted on our country. Crooked Joe Biden poses a threat to democracy.”

Cuellar was among 13 House Democrats who, along with all Republicans, voted in favor of a resolution earlier this month condemning the Biden administration’s immigration policies.

Unlike the two Republican challengers competing in a runoff later this month for the opportunity to challenge Cuellar in the November elections, Jay Furman and Lazaro Garza, Trump’s stance on the indictment differed, as reported by the Texas Tribune.

Furman criticized Cuellar for being part of an establishment that is “betraying us to other nations,” asserting that “they are betraying us for their own gain and their policies that go against the values of South Texas.”

Garza emphasized that “there is no room for corruption in Congress.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee also condemned Cuellar, issuing a statement that if his colleagues truly prioritize putting ‘people over politics,’ they would urge him to resign. Otherwise, they would be hypocrites whose statements on public service lack credibility, according to the Texas Tribune.