The House Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to open an investigation into Rep. Henry Cuellar, Texas Democrat, who was indicted on federal bribery and money laundering charges earlier this month.
The bipartisan panel established an investigative subcommittee to delve into whether Mr. Cuellar “solicited or accepted bribes, gratuities, or improper gifts,” ran afoul of federal money laundering laws, acted as a foreign agent or “misused his official position for private gain.”
Mr. Cuellar and his wife were indicted on money laundering and bribery charges by the Justice Department over alleged ties to the former Soviet Union republic of Azerbaijan.
The Justice Department accused the couple of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from 2014 to 2021 from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico. In exchange, the lawmaker allegedly agreed to advance the interests of the country and the bank in the U.S.
At the time of the indictment, Mr. Cuellar denied any wrongdoing and said that he had sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee. Now, the panel is also investigating him.
The lawmaker responded to the committee’s decision by again claiming his innocence of the charges.
“I respect the work of the House Ethics Committee,” Mr. Cuellar said in a statement. “As I said on May 3rd, I am innocent of these allegations, and everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas.”
The House-led probe could run afoul of the Justice Department’s prosecution of the lawmaker.
House Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest, Mississippi Republican, recognized the possible conflict in the parallel investigations but stressed that the panel would be working on its probe in conjunction with the Justice Department.
“The committee is aware of the risks associated with dual investigations and is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks while still meeting the committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House,” Mr. Guest said in a statement.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.