{"id":2237497,"date":"2024-05-05T07:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-05T11:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/members-of-congress-indicted-cuellar-joins-growing-list-of-officials-charged-with-felonies\/"},"modified":"2024-05-05T07:14:57","modified_gmt":"2024-05-05T11:14:57","slug":"members-of-congress-indicted-cuellar-joins-growing-list-of-officials-charged-with-felonies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/members-of-congress-indicted-cuellar-joins-growing-list-of-officials-charged-with-felonies\/","title":{"rendered":"Cuellar added to increasing list of indicted Congress members"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmembers-of-congress-indicted-cuellar-joins-growing-list-of-officials-charged-with-felonies%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2237497&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The summary provides\u200c updates on several congressional members facing federal charges. It highlights Rep. Henry Cuellar&#8217;s indictment for \u200ballegedly taking bribes. The\u200b text also covers the cases of Senator\u2064 Bob Menendez, former Rep. George \u200cSantos, ex-Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, Chris Collins, Duncan\u200c Hunter, and Corrine Brown, detailing their legal challenges and\u200d outcomes, including resignations and pardons.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rep. <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/henry-cuellar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Henry Cuellar<\/a> (D-TX) joined the list of members of Congress who are facing or have faced federal charges after the <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Department of Justice<\/a> unveiled a 14-count indictment against the Texas Democrat on Friday for allegedly taking nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities.<\/p>\n<p>The indictment claims Cuellar and his wife <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2990105\/henry-cuellar-indicted-doj-charges-texas-bribes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>accepted at least $598,000<\/a> in bribes from an Azerbaijan government-controlled oil and gas company and a bank in Mexico City. The Texas Democrat and his wife each face 14 counts, including charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery of a federal official, conspiracy to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-gives-pardons-to-73-individuals-and-commutes-another-70-sentences-steve-bannon-is-included\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump Gives Pardons to 73 Individuals and Commutes Another 70 Sentences \u2013 Steve Bannon Is Included\">commit honest services fraud<\/a>, violating a ban on public officials acting as foreign agents, and several money laundering violations.<\/p>\n<p>Cuellar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2990140\/henry-cuellar-proclaims-innocence-doj-indictment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>proclaimed he was innocent<\/a> of the charges levied against him ahead of the indictment, arguing that \u201ceverything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore I took any action, I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/henry-cuellar-proclaims-innocence-ahead-of-reported-doj-indictment\/\" title=\"Henry Cuellar asserts innocence prior to alleged DOJ indictment\">proactively sought legal advice<\/a> from the House Ethics Committee, who gave me more than one written opinion, along with an additional opinion from a national law firm,\u201d the Texas Democrat said. \u201cThe actions I took in Congress were consistent with the actions of many of my colleagues and in the interest of the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The congressman noted he is still running for reelection in November and \u201cwill win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Several other members indicted have also said those famous last words, with some losing their primary bids, some facing prison sentences, and others currently fighting to keep their seats in Congress in the 2024 election.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) asks a question during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mariam Zuhaib, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Bob Menendez<\/h2>\n<p>The indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) sent Congress into a tailspin after the DOJ brought<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2768540\/bob-menendez-indicted-democratic-new-jersey-senator-faces-federal-charges-of-bribery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> 16 felony counts<\/a> against him and his wife, Nadine, last year for their alleged \u201ccorrupt\u201d relationship with three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-jersey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Jersey<\/a> businessmen and for acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The DOJ alleged Menendez and his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cuellar-indictment-could-hand-edge-to-texas-republican-challengers-in-may-runoff\/\" title=\"Cuellar's indictment may boost Texas GOP challengers in May runoff\">wife accepted gold bars worth hundreds<\/a> of thousands of dollars from a felon in a trade for help.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently, Menendez\u2019s lawyers have argued that \u201cgenerational trauma and a habit to hoard reserves\u201d as a reason for the senator\u2019s collection of gold bars and $480,000 in cash.<\/p>\n<p>This is not his first run-in with corruption allegations; in 2015, Menendez was indicted on corruption charges, but the case ended in a mistrial in November 2017. He was ultimately reelected to the Senate in 2018 by a comfortable margin.<\/p>\n<p>This time around, however, he may not be so lucky. Though Menendez announced he would not run for the Senate in 2024 as a Democrat, he said he was keeping the door open to an independent bid. A Monmouth University poll taken in March found that 75% of New Jersey residents think he is probably guilty and 63% believe he should resign. His <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/npr-poll-has-biden-at-lowest-approval-rating-yet-after-independents-start-bailing\/\" title=\"NPR Poll Has Biden At Lowest Approval Rating Yet After Independents Start Bailing\">approval rating sits<\/a> at 16%, the lowest ever recorded in a Monmouth poll.<\/p>\n<p>In March, New Jersey Democratic first lady Tammy Murphy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/2936114\/tammy-murphy-drops-out-of-new-jersey-senate-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>dropped out of the Senate race<\/a>, clearing the way for\u00a0Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-kim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Andy Kim<\/a> (D-NJ) to challenge Menendez. Following the senator\u2019s indictment, Kim received a boost of support. The Monmouth poll found Kim had a 48% favorability rating.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who has led the charge in the Senate calling on Menendez to resign, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2803191\/fetterman-bob-menendez-endorsement-andy-kim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>endorsed Kim<\/a> in January. Given the Democrats face an uphill battle to maintain control of the Senate in 2024, Fetterman said it was important to have a \u201creliable Democratic vote.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Menendez\u2019s trial is scheduled to start on May 13, and his wife will face a separate trial.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 Then-New York GOP Rep. George Santos faces reporters at the Capitol, Nov. 30, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>George Santos<\/h2>\n<p>Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos was indicted on 13 felony counts last May over accusations that he misled donors and misrepresented finances. In October, he was hit with 10 more felony charges. He has since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1581777\/george-santos-pleads-not-guilty-to-13-count-indictment-for-financial-crimes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"pleaded not guilty\">pleaded not guilty<\/a>, and a federal criminal trial is on hold to allow him to engage in \u201ccontinuing plea negotiations.\u201d In January, he <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/george-santos-asks-judge-time-pursue-plea-deal\/story?id=106597605\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>asked<\/a> a federal judge for more time to pursue a plea deal.<\/p>\n<p>He announced in March that he would be leaving the Republican Party following the House passage of a $1.2 trillion spending deal and launching an independent bid for Rep. Nick LaLota\u2019s (R-NY) seat. <\/p>\n<p>However, in April, Santos withdrew his independent bid for New York\u2019s 1st Congressional District. One New York Republican <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2976714\/george-santos-withdraws-independent-bid-for-new-york-house-seat-goodbye-for-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"told\">told<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, \u201cThat\u2019s short for: I\u2019m taking a plea deal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The embattled New York Republican had continually made news for his legal woes, resume lies, and flamboyant interactions with the media. In a historic vote, Santos became the sixth House member to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2432380\/george-santos-expelled-from-house-of-representatives\/\">ousted from Congress<\/a> last December following calls for his resignation from both parties. <\/p>\n<p>His ousting came after a scathing Ethics Committee report found \u201csubstantial evidence\u201d that Santos had knowingly filed false or incomplete reports to the Federal Election Commission, used campaign funds for personal purposes, and \u201cengaged in knowing and willful violations\u201d in relation to the Ethics in Government Act.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 Then-Nebraska GOP Rep. Jeff Fortenberry arrives at the federal courthouse for his trial in Los Angeles, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. (AP Photo\/Jae C. Hong, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Jeff Fortenberry<\/h2>\n<p>Former Nebraska Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry was indicted on several charges in October 2021 and convicted in March 2022 on one charge of concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities who were investigating illegal contributions made by a foreign national to his 2016 reelection campaign. He did not receive prison time but was sentenced to two years of probation and a $25,000 fine.<\/p>\n<p>Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was then the House GOP leader, asked for Fortenberry\u2019s resignation, with which he complied.<\/p>\n<p>In December last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2708691\/appeals-court-throws-out-conviction-of-former-congressman-for-lying-to-fbi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"threw out Fortenberry's conviction\">threw out Fortenberry\u2019s conviction<\/a>, arguing that he should have been tried in Nebraska or\u00a0Washington, D.C., where the false statements were made, instead of\u00a0California, where his trial was held.<\/p>\n<p>The deadline to request a reconsideration of the appeals court ruling <a href=\"https:\/\/nebraskaexaminer.com\/2024\/03\/12\/deadline-passes-for-reconsideration-of-fortenberry-ruling-case-could-be-retried\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>passed in March<\/a>, but prosecutors are still determining whether to seek a second trial against Fortenberry in Nebraska or Washington, D.C., per the <em>Nebraska Examiner<\/em>. Prosecutors could also appeal the court\u2019s ruling to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 In this Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, file photo, then-New York GOP Rep. Chris Collins speaks to reporters as he leaves the courthouse after a pretrial hearing in his insider trading case in New York. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Chris Collins<\/h2>\n<p>In 2018, former New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins was arrested and charged with conspiracy, securities fraud, and making false statements to the FBI in connection to insider trading. <\/p>\n<p>He, along with his son and his son\u2019s father-in-law, were charged. Collins resigned from Congress on Sept. 30, 2019, the day before he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1410441\/rep-chris-collins-expected-to-plead-guilty-in-federal-insider-trading-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>pleaded guilty<\/a> to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and lying to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-dem-says-mexico-gives-him-more-info-on-border-crisis-than-biden-admin\/\" title=\"Texas Dem Says Mexico Gives Him More Info on Border Crisis Than Biden Admin\">federal law enforcement agents<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>He was sentenced to over two years in federal prison, but he was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2629526\/trump-issues-wave-of-pardons-in-final-hours-as-president\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>granted a full pardon<\/a> in 2021 by then-President Donald Trump in the final hours of his administration.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 In this July 1, 2019, file photo, then-California GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter leaves federal court after a motions hearing in San Diego. (AP Photo\/Denis Poroy, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Duncan Hunter<\/h2>\n<p>Former California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdca\/pr\/rep-duncan-d-hunter-and-wife-indicted-converting-hundreds-thousands-dollars-campaign\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>indicted<\/a> in 2018, along with his wife, Margaret, on charges of converting over $250,000 in campaign funds to \u201cpay for personal expenses and filed false campaign records\u201d with the Federal Election Commission.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter pleaded guilty to one charge in December 2019 and later resigned from the House in January 2020. Like Collins, Hunter received a last-minute full pardon from Trump in 2021.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 In this Aug. 13, 2015 file photo, then-Florida Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown talks with the press in Tallahassee, Florida. (AP Photo\/Mark Wallheiser, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Corrine Brown<\/h2>\n<p>Former Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown faced an indictment on fraud charges from the DOJ in July 2016 in connection with lying on tax and financial disclosure forms and misusing funds belonging to an education charity. In August that year, she lost her reelection bid in the primary, ending her 24-year career in Congress.<\/p>\n<p>She was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/908712\/former-rep-corrine-brown-found-guilty-of-fraudulently-taking-hundreds-of-thousands-from-sham-charity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>convicted<\/a> on 18 of 22 charges and sentenced to five years in prison in 2017. She served two years before her guilty verdict in that trial was overturned by an Atlanta appeals court in 2021, leaving the 2016 charges unsettled until she reached a plea deal in 2022. She pleaded guilty to one of the 18 counts she was found guilty of, avoiding a second trial that would have started in September 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Brown attempted to return to the House in 2022, but she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonville.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/congressional\/2022\/08\/24\/ex-u-s-rep-corrine-brown-loses-comeback-election-race-25-year-old\/7880890001\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>finished fourth<\/a> in a 10-person Democratic contest to represent Florida\u2019s 10th District. The race was won by now-Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL).<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 In this Feb. 11, 2013, file photo, then-Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah speaks after a gun control discussion at Girard College in Philadelphia. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Chaka Fattah<\/h2>\n<p>Former Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah lost his primary and subsequently resigned from his House seat after he was indicted in 2015 for allegedly participating in a racketeering conspiracy. The DOJ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/former-congressman-chaka-fattah-sentenced-10-years-prison-participating-racketeering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>claimed<\/a> the conspiracy included \u201cseveral schemes intended to further his political and financial interests by misappropriating federal, charitable and campaign funds, among other things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fattah was convicted in June 2016 on charges of racketeering, bribery, wire fraud, money laundering, and others. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in December that year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) is the latest in a series of Congressional members charged with federal crimes. The Department of Justice revealed a 14-count indictment accusing the Texas Democrat of accepting bribes totaling nearly $600,000 from two foreign entities. The charges involve Cuellar and his wife in illicit transactions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":2237498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/MixCollage-03-May-2024-03-18-PM-1399-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2237497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/MixCollage-03-May-2024-03-18-PM-1399-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2237497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2648"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2237497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2237497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2237498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2237497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2237497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2237497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}