Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Customs and Border Safety
Rep. Henry Cuellar, left, greets a U.S. Customs and Border Safety in Washington forward of a 2020 listening to.
This story first appeared in NOTUS, a publication from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute.
WEBB COUNTY, Texas — Lengthy earlier than he was indicted, Rep. Henry Cuellar was thought of the “King of Laredo.” And as he rose to energy and prominence in South Texas, he introduced his sister Rosie and brother Martin with him.
Alongside the way in which, his siblings have confronted questions on self-dealing and political influence-peddling. NOTUS discovered that Rosie Cuellar was appointed to a judgeship for which she heard no circumstances, in a city with no courthouse. Beneath Martin Cuellar’s management, the Webb County sheriff’s workplace has drawn the scrutiny of the FBI. Prosecutors are probing a cleansing firm owned by a person who was on the time assistant chief within the sheriff’s workplace and have requested for paperwork about Martin Cuellar as a part of that investigation. As well as, sources advised NOTUS that Martin Cuellar and his allies pressured employees to advertise his and his household’s political careers.
The kids of immigrant farmworkers with 5 different siblings, the three Cuellars constructed a formidable political machine in Webb County, a poor, predominantly Hispanic border neighborhood that’s an vital commerce hub with Mexico. From his perch on the highly effective Home Appropriations Committee, Henry Cuellar helped ship hundreds of thousands in federal cash to the area. And his siblings managed the levers of native energy: Martin Cuellar has served because the sheriff in Webb County since 2008, whereas Rosie Cuellar has held positions in native authorities as a choose and tax assessor and is hoping to be elected to the statehouse within the fall.
Their political fortunes had been intertwined: When Henry Cuellar confronted a aggressive major problem in 2022, his brother bused Webb County sheriff’s division workers to San Antonio to block-walk for him, three former division workers advised NOTUS. If a Cuellar held a fundraiser, sheriff’s deputies had been anticipated to assist promote tickets and pay out of their very own pocket for these they didn’t promote, 5 former workers stated.
“That isn’t a query,” one former worker stated. “Now we have to go. If we don’t, we get on the blacklist.”
Each Martin and Rosie Cuellar have acquired donations from Henry. This cycle, Rosie benefited probably the most, receiving greater than $65,000 in in-kind donations to help her bid for the statehouse.
Henry Cuellar has pleaded not responsible to a raft of federal bribery, cash laundering and international affect prices leveled in opposition to him and his spouse, Imelda Cuellar. However federal prosecutors are probing issues in Webb County as properly: The FBI searched the sheriff’s workplace final 12 months, based on native media studies, and federal prosecutors are scrutinizing at the very least one enterprise registered to Martin Cuellar, based on a subpoena reviewed by NOTUS and interviews with locals. Martin Cuellar and the Webb County sheriff’s workplace declined to remark for this story.
Henry Cuellar stated in an announcement that any allegations in opposition to his siblings had been “clearly politically motivated and launched conveniently earlier than subsequent week’s election.”
“My brother Martin and my sister Rosie have served the Laredo neighborhood with honor and dignity,” the congressman stated. “South Texas voters know my household’s report and can see this for what it’s — a partisan political hit job.”
NOTUS interviewed greater than 25 native officers, enterprise leaders and residents and reviewed court docket data, police studies, company filings, monetary disclosure studies and paperwork obtained via public data requests to uncover how the Cuellars have exerted their affect in Webb County.
The indictment might rock Henry Cuellar’s political profession right here, however the household nonetheless has loads of sway, based on locals.
“This factor happening with Henry, that’s gonna have an effect on them,” a former sheriff’s worker stated. “They’re nonetheless sturdy, although. They nonetheless can get to you, a technique or one other.”
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Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Division of Agriculture
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar speaks in the course of the 2022 announcement of U.S. Division of Agriculture plans to make a considerable funding in Zapata County.
Rio Bravo is roughly 15 blocks lengthy and three blocks vast, beginning at Freeway 83 and backing as much as the Rio Grande. It has simply over 4,000 residents and feels even smaller. Its municipal authorities is run solely out of a small warehouse by a mayor and two metropolis commissioners.
The town is clearly struggling. Most homes are in numerous states of disrepair, and the streets are crumbling. When an unfamiliar automobile drives by, residents flip and watch.
One former Division of Homeland Safety official stated the city is a “very fascinating place, kinda just like the DMZ meets an episode of Narcos.”
Rosie Cuellar was paid an undisclosed quantity for what seemed to be a make-work function as a municipal choose, based on interviews with each the present and former mayor of Rio Bravo in addition to monetary disclosures filed by Rosie Cuellar as a part of a run for statewide workplace. Rosie Cuellar didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Rio Bravo didn’t reply to public data requests filed by NOTUS for its municipal price range, its spending data or for any details about how Rosie Cuellar was chosen for the place. The town’s refusal handy over paperwork about its funds makes it inconceivable to understand how a lot she was paid. Although assembly minutes are alleged to be public by regulation in Texas, town doesn’t put up them publicly and wouldn’t make them out there. NOTUS despatched a number of requests by electronic mail and visited town’s city corridor in individual to attempt to get entry to data.
Rio Bravo officers stated Rosie Cuellar helped with paperwork to get a court docket arrange and visited colleges, although she by no means heard a case. Gilberto Aguilar, the previous mayor who was concerned in hiring Rosie Cuellar, stated she was paid roughly $18 an hour for her work, though he couldn’t bear in mind the precise determine. Neither he nor the present mayor, Amanda Perez Aguero, who was a metropolis commissioner on the time, might bear in mind how a lot Rosie Cuellar labored, although they each estimated it was round 20 hours every week.
When Rosie Cuellar was employed, Aguilar was additionally considered one of Martin Cuellar’s workers on the sheriff’s division — a middle of political energy in Webb County. He didn’t reply to a set of emailed questions despatched by NOTUS.
In accordance with locals, the division is without doubt one of the largest employers and supplies a number of the highest-paying jobs attainable for these with no school diploma, who make up greater than 80% of the county’s workforce.Former Commander Juan Hernández stated he and others initially supported Martin Cuellar when he was first elected 16 years in the past as a result of they thought he would change issues. Hernández had labored within the division for many years below a number of sheriffs and felt it wanted recent management. In South Texas, public corruption has been a persistent concern, however Hernández stated Cuellar promised “no politics.”
Now, Hernández says, the corruption and tradition are worse than ever.
“I began to lose religion in what he was doing,” stated Hernández, who stated he stop roughly 9 months into the sheriff’s first time period. “I began to actually see a facet of him that I didn’t know.”
In June 2023, the FBI searched the Webb County sheriff’s workplace. Martin Cuellar has stated he isn’t the topic of an FBI investigation. A spokesperson for the Justice Division didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Individually, a subpoena reviewed by NOTUS exhibits {that a} federal grand jury final 12 months requested details about each Martin Cuellar and an entity referred to as Eagle One Enterprise Ventures LLC, together with a cleansing firm owned by considered one of Martin’s former workers. Texas company data present that Martin Cuellar owns an organization referred to as Eagle 1 Enterprise Enterprise LLC.
The federal investigation and the search of the sheriff’s workplace seem like associated, at the very least partially, to COVID-era cleansing contracts, based on the subpoena and an announcement from the Webb County sheriff final 12 months. Within the assertion, Martin Cuellar acknowledged he was questioned about “workers going to daycares, church buildings, and County buildings to disinfect.”
The cleansing firm, Disinfect Professional Grasp, was given a contract in 2021 by the United Unbiased College District, which runs colleges in Webb County. In accordance with disclosure types, the corporate was owned by considered one of Martin’s then-assistant chiefs, Ricardo Rodriguez, who was concurrently a member of the college board. The college board place is unpaid, based on a supply. Rodriguez additionally had a job in Rio Bravo as an affiliate choose, based on an internet bio. (Different allies of the Cuellars equally maintain overlapping positions in quite a few authorities entities. Aguilar, the previous Rio Bravo mayor, can also be on the college board along with his job within the sheriff’s division.) Rodriguez owned the corporate whereas working for the sheriff’s division and serving on the college board however retired from the sheriff’s division after the FBI search.
Rodriguez’s firm was providing to cost half of what the closest competitor bid to wash many of the district’s colleges. The entire contract was value greater than $500,000, based on data supplied to NOTUS by the college district in response to an open data request.
On-duty sheriff’s personnel carried out cleanings at district colleges utilizing sheriff’s gear, based on individuals acquainted with the matter. Martin Cuellar acknowledged final 12 months in an announcement that sheriff’s deputies had been cleansing county buildings however denied that they had been there on behalf of Disinfect Professional Grasp, calling it a separate service supplied via the sheriff’s division.
By an lawyer, UISD stated in an announcement that Rodriguez’s firm “was deemed to offer the very best worth for these companies” and that “all authorized necessities had been met, together with required conflicts of curiosity disclosures.”
After receiving complaints concerning the battle of curiosity inherent in awarding a cleansing contract to an organization owned by a board member, the district employed an unbiased exterior auditor, the lawyer stated. “The exterior auditor’s evaluation concluded that the number of the seller was acceptable and executed in compliance with state buying rules and UISD’s insurance policies and procedures,” based on the lawyer.
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Like many cities in South Texas, Laredo was as soon as dominated by what locals check with because the “patrón system,” the place highly effective politicians or enterprise homeowners used their affect to manage politics and enrich themselves with bribes and contracts. Henry Cuellar rose from the ashes of the earlier system, serving within the statehouse for greater than a decade earlier than finally successful his seat in Congress in 2004. In that election, he narrowly misplaced within the first vote rely. He referred to as for one more rely and 500 new ballots had been discovered, main him to beat the incumbent by 58 votes.
Remnants of the patrón system stay in Webb County — together with on the sheriff’s division, each earlier than and through Martin Cuellar’s tenure, based on interviews with six former workers.
They allege that Martin Cuellar used the sheriff’s division to shore up votes, financially help his marketing campaign and increase the household’s political pursuits.
To get employed, deputies needed to show they may deliver out voters, and to get promoted, they needed to be dedicated to the sheriff, the previous workers alleged. They stated they had been requested to perform as politiqueras: a Spanish time period that after referred to individuals employed by political bosses to end up votes however now’s extra extensively used to incorporate plugged-in neighborhood members who herald voters.
“Kiss ass and provides cash,” one former worker stated.
He stated he’d inform individuals he dropped at the polls — principally his relations — to placed on a very good face for Martin Cuellar.
“Loads of workers, together with myself, I might inform them, ‘Hey, I do know you don’t need to vote for him, however inform them you’re voting for him, and that’s it. You vote for whoever you need,’” stated the previous staffer.
“They’d inform you, ‘It’s worthwhile to vote for this individual. It’s worthwhile to again up the boss’ brother, the boss’ sister,’” one other stated.
U.S. Division of Agriculture
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar speaks throughout a 2022 look in South Texas’ Zapata County.
4 former workers stated they felt strain from Martin Cuellar’s inside circle to donate to his marketing campaign. Two upper-level employees stated they had been anticipated to donate $1,000 to Martin’s marketing campaign yearly, and 4 stated that on his birthday, each worker was anticipated to contribute cash as a present.
“They’d write your title and say, ‘Hey, sheriff. These are the those that gave you cash to your birthday. These are those that gave to your marketing campaign,’” a former worker stated.
4 sources stated sheriff’s division personnel had been additionally anticipated to help Martin Cuellar’s siblings’ campaigns.
“They kill three birds with one stone as a result of they’re block-walking for all three of them,” the identical former employees member stated. The attitude from many workers is, “My job’s on the road. He’s asking me, so I gotta go,” he added. “They’ll’t say no.”
“They’d just about say, like, ‘That is the sheriff’s brother, that is the sheriff’s sister, so you realize what you’re anticipated to do,’” one other former worker stated. “Go and stand for rallies, go and take part of their marketing campaign, you realize, decide up individuals to go vote.”
5 former workers stated they felt there was a tradition of worry on the sheriff’s division. Civil servants are protected by some legal guidelines that make it tough to fireplace them, however that doesn’t imply there’s no technique to retaliate. Even for these not working within the division anymore, it’s tough to talk out. They worry the lengthy attain of a household with so many connections.
“He’s a sheriff, and he’s the congressman. The sister was a municipal court docket choose, and they also nonetheless bought the ability,” a former worker stated.
Jose Garza Jr., who stated he labored on the division from 1985 to 2016, initially supported Martin Cuellar however grew to become annoyed when he felt the division was run on political favors. Different sources confirmed that Garza spoke up when he disagreed with the sheriff.
Garza stated he served for years with no single disciplinary motion in opposition to him. However round 2016, he racked up dozens, based on an interview and paperwork he shared with NOTUS.
Apart from two alleged job violations in 2013, one in 2014 and one in 2015, the shape stated he had over 55 counts of insubordination and over 25 counts of failure to carry out his duties. All of the itemized sanctions on the doc occurred in 2016: 11 for being on his mobile phone and the remaining for allegedly not checking the perimeter of the jail or not staying inside the guard shack.
Garza in the end retired. He’s happy with his service in regulation enforcement, however the sting from the perceived unfairness nonetheless comes via when he talks about his time on the division.
“I’m already drained; I don’t need to do that,” he remembers pondering after agreeing to step away.
4 different former workers NOTUS spoke with felt they had been unfairly punished or pushed out of the division.
“It got here to the purpose of being a hostile work atmosphere,” one stated.
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The Cuellars are nonetheless popular with many in Webb County. Residents described two very totally different variations of the household. In a single, the Cuellars are revered for the cash and funding they’ve dropped at the world and rightfully lauded for serving the neighborhood. Within the different view, the household is corrupt and has used its affect to complement itself on the expense of the constituency.
All three Cuellars’ recognition will probably be examined on the polls. Martin Cuellar is in a aggressive runoff for his seat in opposition to former worker Wayo Ruiz, and Rosie Cuellar is in a aggressive runoff for the Democratic nomination for a state Legislature seat. Each elections will probably be held Could 28, whereas Henry Cuellar will face a basic election in November, although his Republican challengers (who’re in a runoff) aren’t anticipated to topple him.
When the siblings’ campaigns align, they help each other. When Rosie Cuellar was elected to a Webb County place in 2018, Henry swore her in. One photograph from December 2019 exhibits Martin and Rosie Cuellar collectively at a marketing campaign launch occasion for the household. Attendants within the background maintain indicators for every sibling.The trio has come a good distance. Hernández sees the Cuellars as one more household who began from the underside and reached the highest by stepping on others, reinforcing the identical previous political methods that disenfranchised the area for many years.
“This was a neighborhood managed by the patrón system,” Hernández stated. “The patrón nonetheless lives.”
Casey Murray, a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow, reported on the bottom in Texas. NOTUS reporter Byron Tau reported from Washington, D.C.
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