According to Cuellar’s press statement “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations,” and that he had “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 to hear our side,” Cuellar added.
Despite the charges, Cuellar said he intends to run for reelection in November.
Politics and Reactions
The allegations against Cuellar have triggered swift reactions from both sides of the political aisle.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has emphasized the presumption of innocence and Cuellar’s right to due process. While Republicans, have called for his resignation.
Christie Stephenson, a spokesperson for Jeffries, said that Cuellar will step down as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for funding the Department of Homeland Security.
