A statement from Congressman Cuellar:
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— Henry Cuellar (@CuellarCampaign) January 25, 2022
Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar went on camera to address the FBI raid at his home last week, using his childhood home as a backdrop — notably more humble digs than his house that was the site of “court-authorized law enforcement activity” last week.
“I am fully cooperating with law enforcement and committed to ensuring that justice and the law is upheld,” Cuellar said in the video. “There is an ongoing investigation that will show that there is no wrongdoing on my part.”
In the video, Cuellar said that he is still running for reelection.
“Behind me is my childhood home in Las Lomas. When I look at this house, I see struggle, I see sacrifice, I see hard work, I see grit,” Cuellar said. “This is my home, my community, and why I got into politics.”
FBI RAID JEOPARDIZES DEMOCRATIC REP. HENRY CUELLAR’S REELECTION BID
ABC News and CBS News reported that the raids of Cuellar’s home and campaign office are connected to a wide-ranging federal investigation into the former Soviet state of Azerbaijan and U.S. businessmen with ties to the country.
The FBI raid is bad news for Cuellar politically. His seat is one of the Democratic-held House seats that Republicans are targeting to flip this year, and Republicans aren’t being quiet about the FBI raid.
“Crooked Congressman Henry Cuellar is panicking because he knows he’s in BIG TROUBLE,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Torunn Sinclair said in a statement.
But the more immediate threat is a primary challenge rematch against immigration attorney and activist Jessica Cisneros. She’s a left-wing Democrat endorsed by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Justice Democrats, a PAC that has supported numerous liberal primary challengers to centrist Democrats who now make up the “Squad” in the House.
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“These revelations about Cuellar could push Jessica to victory, but only if we all lift Jessica up at this critical moment,” a Justice Democrats fundraising email said.
Cisneros lost to Cuellar by just 3.6 points, accounting for 2,690 votes, in 2020. Texas begins the 2022 primary season March 1.
