The Bulwark published a scoop on Wednesday that’s just the latest exhibition of cowardice by Democratic congressional “leadership.” Privately, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has reportedly discouraged Democratic lawmakers from making further trips to El Salvador to bring attention to the incarceration of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and more than 200 others Trump deported there without due process.

“They want to let the El Salvador stuff slow down,” a senior House staffer told The Bulwark.

Jeffries, who is as much a product of the contemptible New York Democratic machine as Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has been rightly excoriated by progressives on social media. But what really caught my attention in the piece were some remarks from Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Tex.), who is currently under federal indictment for bribery and acting as a foreign agent. He has pleaded not guilty and – pending his trial – remains a free man and a congressman to boot because of due process.

“This is not the right issue to talk about due process,” the conservative Democrat and possible criminal told Fox News Radio. “This is not the right case. This is not the right person to be saying that we need to bring him back to the United States.”

This is the standard claptrap we have heard about Abrego Garcia from centrists and the Democratic consultant class. (Really, is there a difference?) Trump has claimed Abrego Garcia is a criminal and a terrorist, but couldn’t be bothered to prove this in court. Still, Democrats should avoid highlighting the plight of this man, the thinking goes, because despite the lack of a criminal record, Abrego Garcia might turn out to be a bad dude.

To be clear, Henry Cuellar has been charged with more crimes (13) than Kilmar Abrego Garcia (0). Not only that, House Democratic leadership backed Cuellar in a contested primary after the FBI raided his home in 2022. He has since won reelection twice and will go on trial in September – unless of course Donald Trump pardons him or orders the charges dropped in exchange for votes to shore up Republicans’ small majority in the House.

Until Henry Cuellar is convicted, he’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, even if he’s too chickenshit to afford it to others.