• Trump announces a full pardon for Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda due to bribery charges.
• The indictment involves allegations of accepting bribes from foreign entities linked to Azerbaijan.
• Cuellar has defended his actions, suggesting that he was targeted for his criticisms of Biden's policies.
• Trump claims the case against Cuellar was politically motivated, asserting it reflects a "weaponized" justice system.
• This marks a rare instance of Trump pardoning a Democratic lawmaker amid ongoing partisan tensions.

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is granting a "full and unconditional pardon" to Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife, Imelda, who were indicted on multiple charges related to bribery. Trump asserted that Cuellar was unfairly targeted for his criticisms of the Biden administration’s immigration policies, referring to the prosecution as a consequence of a "weaponized" justice system, according to Reuters and The Hill.

In his social media post announcing the pardon, Trump included a letter from Cuellar's daughters, who expressed their belief that their father's "independence and honesty" contributed to the indictment, claiming he was punished for "speaking the TRUTH." The charges against the Cuellars include accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani government-owned oil company and a Mexican bank, which were allegedly laundered through shell companies, as detailed by CBS News and ABC News.

The Cuellars have maintained their innocence, and the congressman previously served as the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee. Cuellar's case is part of a larger narrative around perceived political motivations behind legal actions taken by the Justice Department under Biden's administration, as emphasized by sources like Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

Cuellar remains a controversial figure given his moderate stance in a predominantly Democratic party and has expressed his gratitude towards Trump for the pardon. His case continues to draw attention as it highlights ongoing tensions in U.S. politics, with Cuellar's recent re-election further complicating the dynamics within his party, reported by BBC and HuffPost.