President Trump Pardons Former Congressman Stephen Buyer

President Donald Trump has pardoned Stephen Buyer, a former Republican congressman from Indiana. Buyer served nearly two years in prison for illegal stock trades based on insider information after leaving office. He was convicted and sentenced in 2023 to 22 months in prison. This was for trades conducted while he was acting as a consultant and lobbyist. Following his conviction, Buyer forfeited over $350,000 in illegal gains and paid a $10,000 fine. He was released from prison in 2025.

Trump’s decision to grant a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon” recognized Buyer’s career as a judge advocate general in the Army and his productive time in the House. The White House released the pardon, dated Thursday, late on Friday.

Buyer stated that the pardon “corrects a politically motivated prosecution” and described his imprisonment as “horrific” for a crime he claims he did not commit. He insists on his innocence.

Trump, using his Truth Social media platform on May 31, shared letters requesting a pardon for Buyer, highlighting his background as a lawyer and Gulf War veteran. Buyer left office in 2011 after serving as a House prosecutor during President Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment trial. He was also part of Trump’s transition team in 2016, focusing on veterans’ issues.

Over 40 former Republican members of Congress signed a letter claiming Buyer was “targeted by the deep state” due to his role in Clinton’s trial. The letter, dated April 2025, mentioned that, like Trump, Buyer was a “victim of lawfare” under the current administration.

Another letter, signed by five current House Republicans, supported the pardon to achieve justice in Buyer’s case. Signatories included Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ken Calvert of California, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, and Pete Sessions of Texas.

Buyer, now 67, was found guilty of insider trading connected to the $26.5 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, announced in April 2018. Additionally, he was involved in illegal trades with management consulting firm Navigant when Guidehouse, his client, was to acquire it after a public announcement.

The U.S. Constitution grants presidents broad powers to pardon federal crimes. These pardons do not nullify a criminal record but often serve as a gesture of mercy or justice.