Henry Cuellar Is Not a Target of Federal Probe

[brooklynite]

Source: Political Wire

An attorney for Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) has been informed that the congressman is not a target of an ongoing Justice Department investigation that led to his Laredo home and office being raided in January, Fox News reports.

Read more: https://politicalwire.com/2022/04/13/henry-cuellar-is-not-a-target-of-federal-probe/

[Probatim]

1. So why raid his home and office?

His opponents will use the raid as a distraction and low info voters will think something's up.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Because the FBI believes they can effect the electoral process by pulling stunts.

See James Comey for further reference. Cuellar probably would have avoided a primary runoff if the FBI raid hadn't been in the headlines.

[brooklynite]

3. So you're saying the FBI under the Biden Administration is corrupt?

Besides, I thought "real Democrats" were supporting Jessica Cisneros.

[TexasTowelie]

4. Almost.

I'm saying that the FBI is corrupt, minus the Biden administration prepositional phrase. The corruption didn't end when Biden was inaugurated.

I grew up in the adjacent congressional district to TX-28. There are plenty of "real Democrats" that support Cuellar because of his position on trade policies and the economic activity that he is able to direct to his district as one of the members of the Appropriations Committee. Also, Jessica Cisneros is an immigration rights attorney which is occupation that is not viewed favorably in a district affected by the problems related to immigration such as trespassing, theft, property destruction, and vehicle bailouts.

Unlike 2020, I'm not making any predictions as to will win the primary runoff. Turnout will likely be low since the highest statewide offices in the runoff will be for AG and lieutenant governor. High turnout in the San Antonio area benefits Cisneros while high turnout in the Laredo area benefits Cuellar. I do believe that the voters in that district will prioritize jobs and economic issues over immigration and social justice issues which would give Cuellar the advantage.

My fear is that if Cisneros wins the primary, then it will provide an opening for the GOP to take TX-28. The GOP also looks strong in the adjacent TX-15 district since the incumbent (Gonzalez) decided to run in the coastal district currently represented by Filemon Vela who is retiring.

I doubt that anyone could predict that two of three seats represented by Hispanics would be vulnerable as GOP pickups two years ago.

[LeftInTX]

13. I'm thinking the raid was a GOP hit job

Long story short, many GOP members of congress are in the same boat as Cuellar. (Serve on the same committees etc)
However, someone in the GOP gave a tip and it was followed up on.

It was done to paint: Cuellar as corrupt

[speak easy]

15. There are plenty of "real Republicans" that support Cuellar too

like John Carter.

https://www.texastribune.org/2018/09/11/democrat-henry-cuellar-fundraising-republican-john-carter/

[TexasTowelie]

18. Of course that Republican support may also well be the reason why Cuellar gets reelected.

If Cisneros wins the runoff, then I believe that the district could choose the Republican who wins in their party runoff. My viewpoint is based upon growing up in south Texas, monitoring ten Websites from region, having an interest in politics since my adolescence, and staying in touch with people from that region of the state.

I guess we will get to see whether the voters in the runoff will prioritize pragmatism or idealism. Cuellar, despite his faults, has an established record of bringing economic benefits to the district (and state) as a member of the Appropriations committee. Meanwhile, Cisneros' emphasis is on social issues like getting M4A and immigration reform which will be difficult to achieve, particularly if the GOP regains controls of either chamber of Congress.

[speak easy]

19. Cuellar's support is almost certainly the reason Carter got re-elected in 2018.

TX-31 was in play. In the end Carter won by 8.3K

I have no problem with conservative Dems ... but the traitor school ... pass.

[TexasTowelie]

20. I know the story since I went to college in Georgetown which is in that district.

I also thought that people were overly optimistic about MJ Hegar when much of her campaign was based upon her image as a combat veteran and motorcycle rider so I kept my expectations in check. I doubt that Cuellar had any impact on that race because the counties in TX-31 have been red for decades dating back to when I was a college student in the 80s. If anything, Hegar benefited more from Beto's coattails (as all Texas Democrats did in 2018) than she suffered any negative effect Cuellar had on the race.

[hlthe2b]

5. There could be some still in DOJ who are staunch partisans or Trumpists. Sort of hard to know.

I think most Federal employees are dedicated and nonpartisan in terms of their jobs. Same as with US Attorneys. But some are ideological. Same as the general public.

[brooklynite]

6. And what you're saying is that Biden and Garland aren't managing their staffs.

Do you truly unimaginable that an investigation of a sitting Member of Congress occurs by “rogue” agents without awareness by the FBI Director and the Attorney General?

[hlthe2b]

7. i'm not saying that at all. Fed Agencies & DOJ do not scour for any/all signs of partisan background

among their employees. And one can not predict the unpublished opinions nor motivations not acted upon. It isn't Minority Report. And when borderline-justifiable search warrants are issued the assumption would be that it was free of political influence or partisanism.

Brooklynite, you have a habit of attempting to redefine what I and/or others are saying. Beyond being wrong repeatedly, it comes off as patronizing as hell. ASK if you are unsure what someone is saying. Don't assert your own words and reframing.

[msfiddlestix]

16. This 10,000 %

[dpibel]

8. You, OTOH, are saying Garland knows all 35,000 FBI employees

Which, really, is a bit of a silly position to take.

I have a recollection that the Manhattan FBI was likely feeding Rudy oppo material during the 2016 campaign.

Does that mean that Obama and Holder/Lynch weren't "managing their staffs"? Does it mean the FBI under the Obama Administration was corrupt?

I guess you'd argue it does.

[brooklynite]

9. No, I'm saying that Garland is aware of an investigation of A SITTING MEMBER OF CONGRESS

If an FBI agent decides, based on no evidence whatsoever, that they're going to obtain a search warrant FROM A FEDERAL JUDGE, and go into a Congressman's house to create the image of corruption, the FBI agent's supervisor is going to know and will either take action or defend what the agent did to his/her supervisor, and so on up the chain.

I work for the Government. One thing I understand is bureaucracy.

[dpibel]

10. Well, when you put it in ALL CAPS

I guess that means YOU WIN!!1!

But seriously: You may work for the government and understand bureaucracy like a veritable house afire.

That may not, however, actually give you a great deal of insight into the difficulty level of putting together defensible probable cause for a search warrant.

Truth is, you have a position based on your opinion. You don't know the underlying facts.

The posters you've been shouting at don't know the underlying facts, either.

They are stating their suppositions.

You are stating your suppositions but claiming they are indisputable facts because, I guess, ALL CAPS.

[msfiddlestix]

17. This accusation is wrongly asserted as is your earlier response

It might be a favorite pastime of yours, but (not to be too understated), it's just a flat-out misguided habit done repeatedly and routinely.

and it's just wrongful.

[TiberiusB]

11. Why Cuellar, though, if he isn't into something dirty

Why go after someone so openly and aggressively if they aren't a target? Because he's a Democrat? His record hardly qualifies:

https://primaries.substack.com/p/shitty-dem-of-the-week-1-henry-cuellar?s=r

From the looks of his political history, he's effectively a DINO, so why would a corrupt FBI, looking to take down Democrats, pick a deeply problematic (for the Left, definitely not the Right) Rep from a solidly blue district? If Cuellar goes, another, almost surely more left leaning, Democrat will replace him.

Cui bono?

[LeftInTX]

14. The GOP thinks they can flip the seat

They feel that Jessica is too progressive and Cuellar is corrupt...

[brooklynite]

23. Funny how they didn't feel the need for a fake investigation with the other 14 Toss Up seats....

...a fake investigation which would require convincing a Federal Judge to obtain a search warrant. Or maybe the judge is part of the conspiracy as well?

[LeftInTX]

25. I think some of the GOP is dirty too, but they provided the tip on Cuellar

No tip, no raid

[angue]

12. Good news

Witch-hunt.

[hamsterjill]

21. I hope he loses.

I’m all in for Jessica. Cuellar needs to be replaced.

[Celerity]

24. Yes, his fundraising and campaigning for a Republican, the racist climate change denying John Carter

and Cuellar's repeatedly attacking Biden with RW talking points on immigration are horrid.

Plus he is a massive forced birther, anti-LGBTQ, A rated by the NRA, anti-immigrant, huge pusher of for-profit, private private prisons and big 'drill baby drill' oil, plus is anti green.

He is by far the worst Dem in the House, and his district has never once, in history, elected a Rethug, so a safe Blue seat.

Cuellar and Sinema (in 2024) are the only two Dem incumbents I advocate primarying.

It is pointless to primary Manchin in 2024 (if he even runs again).

[TheFarseer]

22. Side note

Looked at a map and OMG is that district gerrymandered to hell!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

26. Rep. Henry Cuellar 'not a target' of FBI agents who searched his home, attorney says

This is nice to see. This should help in the upcoming primary

Link to tweet

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Henry-Cuellar-FBI-Investigation-17079034.php?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral

— An attorney for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat whose home and campaign office were searched by the FBI earlier this year, says the Department of Justice told him that the congressman is not a target in the federal investigation.

“Over the last several weeks, the Justice Department, in a conversation I had with the prosecutor, let me know that Congressman Cuellar is not a target of this investigation,” Joshua Berman, Cuellar’s attorney, told Fox News.

Berman confirmed the same to Hearst Newspapers in a text message on Wednesday, saying: “DOJ informed me that Congressman Cuellar is not a target of the investigation.”....

“There is an ongoing investigation that will show there was no wrongdoing on my part,” Cuellar said in a video tweeted by his campaign. “I am fully cooperating with law enforcement and committed to ensuring that justice and the law is upheld.”