Texas Dem. Congressman, wife indicted for bribery, lobbying for foreign government – National & International News – FRI 3May2024

Texas Dem. Congressman, wife indicted for bribery, lobbying for foreign government.

Trump hush money trial: Former aid testifies on Access Hollywood tape “crisis”.

Texas Dem. Congressman, wife indicted for bribery, lobbying for foreign government

In January 2022, the FBI executed a search at the Laredo, TX, home and campaign office of Rep. Henry Cuellar. At the time, Cuellar’s team issued a statement indicating that Cuellar was not the target of any criminal investigation. Cuellar, a moderate and self-described “pro-life” Democrat, went on later that year to narrowly win (by 289 votes) a primary race against progressive candidate Jessica Cisneros. 

Over two years later, the federal government has indicted both Cuellar and his wife Imelda on charges of bribery and money laundering. According to the indictment, the Cuellars were involved in a bribery-for-influence scheme (going back to 2012) involving the government of Azerbaijan and an unnamed bank in Mexico. According to the indictment, the Cuellars accepted at least $600,000 in bribes. In exchange, Cuellar used his influence to sway House bills and US policy to the benefit of both the Mexican bank and an Azeri-owned energy company.

Cuellar represents a district that includes San Antonio and runs all the way south to the border. He currently serves as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing the Department of Homeland Security. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ office says Cuellar will be on leave from that role while the case plays out.

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Trump hush money trial: Former aid testifies on Access Hollywood tape “crisis”

Longtime Trump operative and confidant Hope Hicks took the stand today in the criminal trial against Trump in New York. During occasionally tearful testimony, Hicks described the “crisis” within the Trump camp in the days leading up to the 2016 election over the release of the incriminating “Access Hollywood” tape (also known as the “grab them by the p—y” tape).

Hicks also testified to the later involvement of former Trump fixer Michael Cohen in hush money payments to former porn actress Stormy Daniels, which are at the heart of the trial. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records (to reimburse Cohen) as part of a scheme to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. Trump faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

Last week, the court heard testimony from David Pecker, who in 2016 was publisher of the National Enquirer. Pecker spoke of meetings with Trump in which he (Pecker) agreed to “catch-and-kill” stories that might damage Trump’s campaign. Essentially, Pecker agreed to buy exclusives from any accuser and then not publish them, a scheme in which Cohen was also involved.

Cohen himself has yet to take the stand. However, jurors heard an audio recording by Cohen yesterday in which he and Trump discuss payments to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who also alleged an affair with Trump. In the recording, Cohen tells Trump that he (Cohen) had spoken with Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg about “how to set the whole thing up with funding”. Trump responds, “What do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?”. 

Earlier this week, Judge Juan Marchan fined Trump $9000 for violating a gag order barring Trump from commenting publicly on commenting on witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors. Marchan also threatened to jail Trump if he continued violating the gag order.

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