Trump pardons former US Congress member accused of insider trading

President Donald Trump has issued a full and unconditional pardon to Stephen Buyer, a former Republican congressman from Indiana. Buyer had been serving a 22-month prison sentence for insider trading convictions related to stock trades made after he left office.

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distinguished and highly productive

Buyer was found guilty of making illegal trades involving the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, and the acquisition of consulting firm Navigant. He was sentenced in 2023 and ordered to forfeit more than $350,000 in illegal gains, along with a $10,000 fine. He had maintained his innocence throughout the legal process.

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corrects a politically motivated prosecution

In granting the pardon, Trump highlighted Buyer's "distinguished and highly productive" career, including his service as a judge advocate general in the U.S. Army and his time in the House of Representatives. Buyer, a lawyer and Gulf War veteran, expressed gratitude, calling the pardon a correction to a "politically motivated prosecution" and reiterating his claim of innocence.

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horrific to be imprisoned for a crime that I did not commit

Support for Buyer's pardon came from a group of former Republican members of Congress who, in a letter, accused the Biden administration of "lawfare" and claimed Buyer was "targeted by the deep state" due to his past role as a prosecutor in Bill Clinton's impeachment trial. Five current House Republicans also signed a letter advocating for justice in his case.

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targeted by the deep state