CREW sues for records on President Trump’s pardon of Rep. Henry Cuellar

CREW is suing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for failing to produce records in response to CREW’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests about President Trump’s pardon of Representative Henry Cuellar. Cuellar was indicted on multiple counts of bribery for allegedly accepting at least $598,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani oil company and a Mexican bank in exchange for official acts as a member of Congress.  In addition to the criminal prosecution, the House Ethics Committee twice voted unanimously to authorize an investigation into Cuellar’s actions.

On Dec. 3, 2025, while criminal proceedings against Cuellar were ongoing, Trump abruptly and with little explanation announced on his social media platform that he had pardoned Cuellar. The post included images of a letter from Cuellar’s two daughters who asserted without basis that both President Trump and Rep. Cuellar had both been unfairly prosecuted due to their political opinions. Following his pardon, Cuellar announced his run for reelection as a member of the Democratic Party. In response to the decision, Trump stated on social media that Cuellar’s decision was “a lack of LOYALTY.”

On Dec. 12, 2025, CREW submitted FOIA requests to the Justice Department about the indictment and investigation of Henry Cuellar and Trump’s pardon of Cuellar. CREW also sought expedited processing because these records may shed light about President Trump’s use of the pardon power to seek particular actions from elected officials after they have been pardoned.

The Justice Department failed to comply with CREW’s FOIA requests  and is now wrongfully withholding records responsive to CREW’s requests. The public deserves to know the details of Rep. Cuellar’s alleged corrupt dealings and what, if any, unethical considerations influenced President Trump’s decision to pardon him.

Header screenshot courtesy of C-SPAN.