I have often marvelled at how rich members of the US Congress — both the House and Senate — become in a job with a nice, but fixed salary. Where does that wealth come from? Perhaps, just a bit of enlightenment.
Comes now the story of US Congressman Henry Cuellar who represents the people of Texas in District 28 encompassing an odd map that includes Schertz, Selma, Cibolo, Universal City, New Braunfels, Marion, New Berlin, and Santa Clara.
Here’s what it look like. You will note that it does not include either Azerbiajan or Mexico City.
Here is a link to District 28 info. It is a district that desperately needs good representation.
Bit of an oddity: Obama won District 28 with 70% of the vote and Trump won it with 52%. It is solidly Democrat, but Trump won it?
Henry is that rarest of Democrats, a pro-life supporter — in fact, the only such person in the entire House Democrat Caucus.
He was first elected to Congress in 2004, so he’s been in DC for 20 years. [I have seen a number of references saying he has served for 10 years, but it’s 20.]
Prior to serving in the US Congress, Cuellar was the Texas Secretary of State (the last Democrat statewide office holder in Texas history, appointed by Gov Rick Perry) and served 14 years in the Texas House of Representatives representing part of Laredo. So, yeah, career politician.
He has represented District 28 for 20 years and is married to the lovely Imelda Rios Cuellar who is, apparently, an ambitious entrepreneur in her own right.
Henry is a well educated chap:
Graduate of the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, cum laude, BS foreign service
Graduate of Texas A&M International University, Master of Arts international trade
Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law
Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, Government
Ahhh, dear reader, it is only “alleged.”
Here is a link to the actual indictment. It is a simple one to read. You ought to read an indictment or two, no?
Here’s an easy read of the charges:
1. Henry acted — supported legislation for the benefit of — on behalf of a foreign government: to wit, Azerbaijan. Obviously, Azerbaijan is not within Henry’s district and he is not Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Azerbaijan), is he?
[Some of those Texas districts are heavy handed gerrymandered, but neither Azervaijan nor Mexico City are in that district. I checked it.]
To be perfectly clear he acted on behalf of an Azerbaijani oil company which just happened to be owned by the Azerbaijani government. He also acted on their behalf in other international matters including a dispute with a neighbor.
2. He also acted on the behalf of a Mexican bank. The Mexican bank had “pay day lender” issues and other legislative desires.
Congressmen are not supposed to act on behalf of foreign entities; they are supposed to represent their constituents.
3. During the course of this action — since 2013 — Henry and his wife received cash compensation of $598,000. This was paid in support of bogus “consulting” contracts held by companies owned by Imelda Cuellar and other relatives.
If you are the country of Azerbaijan and you have a problem, who would you call other than a woman living in the San Antonio, Texas area? Because of course, she is an expert on Azerbaijan and its problems.
The US Attorney announcing the charge said, oddly, that Imelda performed “little to no work.” Huh.
4. To make matters worse, the funds — bribes in the words of the indictment — were transmitted to Henry and his wife though bogus companies, shell corporations, mystery middlemen, and other nefarious trappings that are the infrastructure of these type of corrupt things — sort of like the Bidens and their network of shell corporations and phoney consulting agreements.
This is also called “money laundering.”
Ahhh, is it personal? Yes.
I am ashamed of a country in which our elected legislators are “available.” This guy was for sale from the first day of his service. Why are we sending people to the US Congress who are for sale?
Imagine the planning and infrastructure required to create this servant leader relationship.
And, for what? A fairly small amount of money over a 20 year period — you can apparently own a US Congressman for as little as $30,000 per year. Seems very reasonable.
We are in the Go Fund Me arena.
I predict that Henry Cuellar will win re-election in November and that is a bloody tragedy. We deserve better. The District 28 voters deserve better.
He is a long standing politician and he was for sale from the very beginning.
I am very sad.
But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.
