(NewsNation) — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, is thanking the president and God for his pardon in a federal bribery and conspiracy case.
President Donald Trump issued the pardon Wednesday, clearing Cuellar and his wife of any penalties. A pardon is the formal release from punishment for a crime.
“I want to thank the president on behalf of myself and my wife. I want to thank him for what he did,” Cuellar told NewsNation’s “Morning in America with Hena Doba” on Saturday. “I also want to thank God. It was a very difficult situation that nobody should go under.”
The Democratic congressman is known for his bipartisanship.
“He was treated very badly because he said that people should not be allowed to pour into our country, and he was right. He didn’t like open borders,” Trump said. “He represents a very respected man. He represents the people on the border, and he saw what was happening.”
Last year, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, were indicted on charges related to accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes and laundering the funds.
“I really feel that this was weaponization, it was weaponization, by the Biden administration,” he told NewsNation.
Despite the indictment and the pardon, Cuellar said he will run for reelection next year.