President Trump Pardons Former Lawmaker

United States President Donald Trump has issued a pardon to Stephen Buyer, a former Republican congressman representing Indiana. The pardon, dated Thursday and released by the White House on Friday night, follows Buyer's conviction and nearly two-year prison sentence for illegal stock trades made using confidential information after his tenure in public office.

Former US Congressman Stephen Buyer was part of Trump's 2016 presidential transition team [File: Brendan McDermid/Reuters]

Buyer was sentenced in 2023 to 22 months in prison for trades executed while he was working as a consultant and lobbyist. He was also ordered to forfeit over $350,000, representing his illicit gains, and pay a $10,000 fine. He was released from prison in 2025. The Supreme Court had previously declined Buyer's appeal in May without offering commentary or dissent.

Rationale Behind the Pardon

In granting a "full, complete, and unconditional pardon" to Buyer, President Trump highlighted Buyer's professional history, including his service as a judge advocate general in the U.S. Army and his career as a politician in the U.S. House of Representatives. Trump characterized Buyer's career as "distinguished and highly productive."

Buyer, for his part, stated that the pardon "corrects a politically motivated prosecution" and described his imprisonment for a crime he claims he did not commit as "horrific." He continues to assert his innocence.

Advocacy for Buyer's Pardon

On May 31, Trump utilized his Truth Social platform to share two letters advocating for a presidential pardon for Buyer, a lawyer and Gulf War veteran who concluded his congressional service in 2011. Buyer also served as a House prosecutor during Democratic President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial in 1998 and later joined Trump's 2016 transition team, where he focused on veterans' affairs.

One letter, signed by more than 40 former Republican members of Congress, alleged that Buyer was "targeted by the deep state" due to his involvement in Clinton's impeachment proceedings. The April 2025 letter further drew a parallel, stating, "Like you, Mr President, Steve has been the victim of lawfare conducted by the Biden Administration."

A second letter, from five current House Republicans—Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ken Calvert of California, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, and Pete Sessions of Texas—argued that a pardon for Buyer would ensure justice in his case. This letter was dated June 2025.

Details of the Conviction

Buyer, 67, was convicted for insider trading related to two significant corporate transactions. These included the $26.5 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, which was publicly announced in April 2018, and illegal trades concerning the management consulting firm Navigant. These latter trades occurred when Buyer's client, Guidehouse, was preparing to acquire Navigant, a deal that became publicly known weeks later.

The U.S. Constitution grants the President extensive authority to issue pardons for federal offenses. While a pardon does not expunge an individual's criminal record, it is often perceived as an act of mercy or an affirmation of justice.

Source: Trump pardons former US Congress member accused of insider trading