Trump Pardons Former Congressman Steven Buyer
The White House has announced that President Trump used his authority on Thursday to grant a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon” to Steven Buyer, a former Republican congressman from Indiana. Buyer had been convicted for benefiting from insider information.
In 2023, he had been sentenced to 22 months in prison after the conviction. The jury found him guilty of leaking classified insider information post his congressional tenure. Buyer held a significant role as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and was involved in Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.
The White House praised Buyer’s career, noting his service in the U.S. Army as a judge advocate general and his time as an Indiana state representative from 1993 to 2011.
The pardon received overwhelming backing from more than 50 current and former Congressional members, including notable Republicans like Senators Lindsey Graham and Roger Wicker, as well as former House Speaker John Boehner.
The official notice instructed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to facilitate the expedited issuance of an Amnesty Certificate for Buyer.
Buyer’s conviction revolved around allegations of insider stock trading; he reportedly purchased shares in Navigant right before a client’s acquisition of the company. There were also claims of him buying Sprint stock after learning about a secret merger plan with T-Mobile.
During courtroom proceedings, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman criticized Buyer for allegedly obstructing justice by providing false explanations for his trading activities.
Buyer’s legal team contended that his financial situation drastically worsened due to legal expenses, advocating for alternative sentences like home confinement instead of prison. Their claims indicated that the Buyers were forced to sell their home and vehicles, and his wife had to return to work at the age of 65.
Despite these arguments, Judge Berman sentenced Buyer to the full 22 months, required him to forfeit over $354,000 from the insider deals, and imposed a $10,000 fine. Although federal prosecutors sought recovery of $1.4 million in legal fees, the judge declined that request.
