Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative Henry Cuellar
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement:
On April 30, 2024, criminal charges against Representative Henry Cuellar were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Pursuant to Committee Rule 18(e)(2) and House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(9), within 30 days of a Member being indicted or otherwise formally charged with criminal conduct, the Committee shall either establish an Investigative Subcommittee or report to the House describing its reasons for not establishing an Investigative Subcommittee.
In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 3, and Committee Rules 10(a)(2) and 18(e), the Committee unanimously voted to establish an Investigative Subcommittee. Pursuant to the Committee’s action, the Investigative Subcommittee shall have jurisdiction to determine whether Representative Cuellar solicited or accepted bribes, gratuities, or improper gifts; acted as a foreign agent; violated federal money laundering laws; misused his official position for private gain; and/or made false statements or omissions on public disclosure statements filed with the House.
The Honorable Michael Guest will serve as Chair of the Investigative Subcommittee, and the Honorable Glenn Ivey will serve as the Ranking Member. The other two members of the Investigative Subcommittee are the Honorable Ben Cline and the Honorable Madeleine Dean.
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. No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.
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