Another US congressman has been charged in a foreign bribery case.
Federal prosecutors on Friday unsealed an indictment against Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, and his wife on claims the couple accepted $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-run oil company and a bank with headquarters in Mexico.
“In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence US foreign policy in favour of Azerbaijan,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.
The DOJ also claims that in exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Mr Cuellar agreed to “influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking US executive branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank.”
The charges come after Senator Bob Menendez, also a Democrat and former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was indicted in a corruption case involving Egypt and Qatar.
Coincidentally, Mr Menendez had recently been at the forefront of Washington's efforts to halt assistance to Baku amid its siege on Nagorno-Karabakh late last year.
The UN Security Council discussed Azerbaijan's blockade on the territory in August, after a former International Criminal Court prosecutor said the blockade may amount to a “genocide” against Armenians.
Mr Cuellar said in a Friday statement that he and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, “are innocent of these allegations.”
“Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Mr 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.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Cuellar home and campaign office in 2022.
Mr Cuellar has served in Congress for over two decades, and has been critical of the Democratic party's more left-leaning wing.
A rare anti-abortion Democrat, he has also been more conservative on issues involving the southern border with Mexico, of which his district is close to.
He joined a group of moderate Democrats and Republicans this week in condemning Colombia's severing of ties with Israel, accusing President Gustavo Petro of anti-Semitism over the move.
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The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
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Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
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A foster couple or family must:
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- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
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- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
