Russia, Russia, Russia finally has a defendant

[SunsetBengal]

And... it's Henry Cueller a Democratic Rep from Texas. Who would have thought that after all of the hubbub over the other guy's alleged ties to Russian influence that a sitting Democrat and his wife would end up taken into custody??

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/democratic-us-rep-henry-cuellar-of-texas-and-his-wife-are-indicted-over-ties-to-azerbaijan/ar-AA1o63ld?OCID=BingNewsSerp

Quote:WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges and taken into custody Friday in connection with a U.S. Department of Justice probe into the couple's ties to the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.

From 2014 to 2021, Cuellar, 68, and his wife accepted nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico, and in exchange, Cuellar agreed to advance the interests of the country and the bank in the U.S., according to the indictment.

Among other things, Cuellar agreed to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House, the indictment states.
The Department of Justice said the couple surrendered to authorities on Friday and were taken into custody. They made an initial appearance before a federal judge in Houston and were each released on $100,000 bond, the DOJ said.

The longtime congressman released a statement Friday saying he and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, 67, “are innocent of these allegations.”

“Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar said. “Before I took action, I proactively sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee, who gave me more than one written opinion, along with an additional opinion from a national law firm.

“Furthermore, we requested a meeting with the Washington D.C. prosecutors to explain the facts and they refused to discuss the case with us or hear our side.”

Neither Cuellar nor his attorney immediately responded to calls seeking comment on the matter.

In addition to bribery and conspiracy, the couple face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, acting as agents of foreign principals and money laundering. If convicted, they face up to decades in prison and forfeiture of any property linked to proceeds from the alleged scheme.

The payments to the couple initially went through a Texas-based shell company owned by Imelda Cuellar and two of the couple’s children, according to the indictment. That company received payments from the Azerbaijan energy company of $25,000 per month under a “sham contract,” purportedly in exchange for unspecified strategic consulting and advising services.

“In reality, the contract was a sham used to disguise and legitimate the corrupt agreement between Henry Cuellar and the government of Azerbaijan,” the indictment states.

Imelda Cuellar sent a falsified invoice to the Azerbaijan energy company's Washington, D.C., office under the agreement, stating her work was complete.

“In fact, Imelda Cuellar had performed little or no legitimate work under the contract,” the indictment says.

The indictment also alleges an Azerbaijani diplomat referred to Henry Cuellar in text messages as “el Jefe” or “boss,” and also that a member of Cuellar’s staff sent multiple emails to officials at the Department of State pressuring them to renew a U.S. passport for an Azerbaijani diplomat’s daughter.

Cuellar was at one time the co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.

The FBI searched the congressman’s house in the border city of Laredo in 2022, and Cuellar’s attorney at that time said Cuellar was not the target of that investigation. That search was part of a broader investigation related to Azerbaijan that saw FBI agents serve a raft of subpoenas and conduct interviews in Washington, D.C., and Texas, a person with direct knowledge of the probe previously told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Cuellar, one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress, narrowly defeated progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros by fewer than 300 votes in a primary race in 2022.

[*Nately120*]

Of course a democrat was arrested in Texas, it's a red state, duh.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-03-2024, 05:30 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Of course a democrat was arrested in Texas, it's a red state, duh.

$600K in bribes might sound like small numbers when compared to NFL salaries and such, but taking any money to advance adversarial interests is huge, no matter what State it happened in.

[Stewy]

A congressman taking bribes!?!?!? Well Im shocked.......
If they did the crime, then they do the time.

And what does this have to do with Russia?

[SunsetBengal]

(05-03-2024, 05:40 PM)Stewy Wrote: A congressman taking bribes!?!?!?  Well Im shocked.......
If they did the crime, then they do the time.

And what does this have to do with Russia?

Didn't you read the text? The bank is controlled by Azerbaijan, and is simply located in Mexico. Azerbaijan is controlled by Turkey which is aligned with Russia.

[*Nately120*]

(05-03-2024, 05:39 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: $600K in bribes might sound like small numbers when compared to NFL salaries and such, but taking any money to advance adversarial interests is huge, no matter what State it happened in.

Or it's all a bunch of fake BS that they made up because his pollical rivals see a chance to take him down.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-03-2024, 05:43 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Or it's all a bunch of fake BS that they made up because his pollical rivals see a chance to take him down.

Seeing how the White House and DOJ is controlled by the Blue currently, I tend to doubt. However, I guess that someone might be able to imagine that this is all the result of a DJT holdover who just wanted to do evil to those dreadful Dems..

[*Nately120*]

(05-03-2024, 05:50 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Seeing how the White House and DOJ is controlled by the Blue currently, I tend to doubt. However, I guess that someone might be able to imagine that this is all the result of a DJT holdover who just wanted to do evil to those dreadful Dems..

Well in that case the guy is a democrat from Texas, so if he got elected in Texas he isn't blue enough for Biden's personal DOJ, or he's a DINO or something. 

[SunsetBengal]

(05-03-2024, 05:55 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Well in that case the guy is a democrat from Texas, so if he got elected in Texas he isn't blue enough for Biden's personal DOJ, or he's a DINO or something. 

Yep, must have been Boss Hogg himself, running as an undercover Democrat in a Blue district..

[*Nately120*]

(05-03-2024, 06:05 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yep, must have been Boss Hogg himself, running as an undercover Democrat in a Blue district..

OR or OR!!!! Maybe Biden is having his DOJ frame this guy for the Russia thing because he knows Trump did it BUT if they throw Trump in jail for it that Biden would have to run in 2024 against someone he would have a harder time beating.  Ah but that opens the door for Trump being the next Nelson Mandella...hmm...I tells ya, these what ifs run deep.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(05-03-2024, 05:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Didn't you read the text? The bank is controlled by Azerbaijan, and is simply located in Mexico. Azerbaijan is controlled by Turkey which is aligned with Russia.

Turkey is not aligned with Russia, my man.  They're a NATO member.  Under the current regime they are less than ideal allies, but there are positive signs they may be on their way out.

[*Nately120*]

(05-03-2024, 06:05 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yep, must have been Boss Hogg himself, running as an undercover Democrat in a Blue district..

I have to admit, I'm not entire sure if Boss Hogg was after the Dukes of Hazard or Smokey and/or The Bandit.

[NATI BENGALS]

Well wtf? I’ve been told the weaponized DOJ and FBI have become an arm of the democratic party targeting Biden’s political enemies.

So if the DOJ/FBI go after a Republican. It’s a sham and they are targeting conservatives. If the DOJ/FBI go after Democrat. Well they are finally doing something right?

[Dill]

(05-03-2024, 05:13 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: And... it's Henry Cueller a Democratic Rep from Texas. Who would have thought that after all of the hubbub over the other guy's alleged ties to Russian influence that a sitting Democrat and his wife would end up taken into custody??

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/democratic-us-rep-henry-cuellar-of-texas-and-his-wife-are-indicted-over-ties-to-azerbaijan/ar-AA1o63ld?OCID=BingNewsSerp

"Alleged" ties? https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/connections-trump-putin-russia-ties-chart-flynn-page-manafort-sessions-214868/

Why isn't this thread titled "Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan finally has a defendant"?

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(05-03-2024, 07:52 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I have to admit, I'm not entire sure if Boss Hogg was after the Dukes of Hazard or Smokey and/or The Bandit.

Dude, put some respect on Buford T. Justice or face the consequences.

[*Nately120*]

(05-04-2024, 12:14 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Dude, put some respect on Buford T. Justice or face the consequences.

The guy Hulk Hogan wrestled at Wrestlemania 8?

Ok, just kidding, I know that isn't him.

[*michaelsean*]

(05-04-2024, 12:14 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Dude, put some respect on Buford T. Justice or face the consequences.

Boss Hogg was good but he wasn’t The Great One.

[JustWinBaby]

This guy only got $600k AND he got caught?

Somewhere Hunter Biden is laughing.

[GMDino]

Dear leader has chimed in:



So I guess the guy isn't guilty? 

[Mike M (the other one)]

(05-06-2024, 02:13 PM)GMDino Wrote: Dear leader has chimed in:



So I guess the guy isn't guilty? 

Oh he's likely guilty, but he wouldn't step in line with his authoritarian Daddy, so he was sacrificed in order to get everyone else in line.