ANCA condemns Trump’s pardon of Rep. Cuellar over Azerbaijani bribery scandal

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) condemned US President Donald Trump’s pardon of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who was indicted in 2024 for accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan in exchange for advancing Azerbaijan’s interests in Congress at the direct expense of the Constitutional rights of Armenian Americans.

“Trump’s pardon of Congressman Cuellar is a free pass for foreign bribes, a billboard atop the White House announcing to the world that it’s pay-to-play in Washington. It’s Azerbaijan First foreign policy, at the expense of the American people,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian.

The ANCA reiterated its call on the US House of Representatives to expel Henry Cuellar, condemn Azerbaijan’s brazen interference in American democracy and enact statutory measures to prevent ongoing attempts by Azerbaijan’s corrupt Aliyev regime to rig US foreign policy in its favor.

“Cuellar’s crimes — as serious as they are — represent the tip of the iceberg. Congress needs to expel him immediately and root out Baku’s bribery schemes across our government,” Hamparian added.