Furious Trump criticizes congressman for returning to Democrats after pardon

The Cuellar case seemed particularly important to Trump, who has repeatedly argued that the justice system under President Joe Biden was “weaponized.” Trump described the charges against Cuellar as a “witch hunt,” using the same language he used in the criminal cases against himself.

Trump was convicted in New York last year of 34 felonies for falsifying corporate records related to an alleged hush-money scheme during the 2016 campaign. Although a judge granted him “unconditional discharge” in January — meaning no jail time, fines or probation — the conviction remains on the books.

Cuellar and his wife were accused of taking nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani state oil company and an unnamed Mexican bank. Trump claimed that Cuellar, known as a moderate Democrat, was targeted because of his criticism of Biden’s immigration policies.

“For years, the Biden administration has weaponized the justice system against their political opponents, and anyone who disagrees with them,” Trump said as he announced the pardon. He added that “Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to ‘take out’ a member of his own party after highly respected Congressman Henry Cuellar courageously spoke out against open borders and the Biden border ‘catastrophe’.”