WEBB COUNTY, Texas — Long before he was indicted, Rep. Henry Cuellar was considered the “King of Laredo.” And as he rose to power and prominence in South Texas, he brought his sister Rosie and brother Martin with him.
Along the way, his siblings have faced questions about self-dealing and political influence-peddling. NOTUS found that Rosie Cuellar was appointed to a judgeship for which she heard no cases, in a town with no courthouse. Under Martin Cuellar’s leadership, the Webb County sheriff’s office has drawn the scrutiny of the FBI. Prosecutors are probing a cleaning company owned by a man who was at the time assistant chief in the sheriff’s office and have asked for documents about Martin Cuellar as part of that investigation. In addition, sources told NOTUS that Martin Cuellar and his allies pressured staff to promote his and his family’s political careers.
The children of immigrant farmworkers with five other siblings, the three Cuellars built a formidable political machine in Webb County, a poor, predominantly Hispanic border community that’s an important trade hub with Mexico. From his perch on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Henry Cuellar helped deliver millions in federal money to the region. And his siblings controlled the levers of local power: Martin Cuellar has served as the sheriff in Webb County since 2008, while Rosie Cuellar has held positions in local government as a judge and tax assessor and is hoping to be elected to the statehouse in the fall.