Steve Buyer

Buyer was born in Rensselaer, Indiana. In 1976 he graduated from North White High School, where he had been class president.[3] In 1980 he received a B.S. degree from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, and in 1984 he received a J.D. degree from the Valparaiso University School of Law.

Buyer served three years on active duty in the Army between 1984 and 1987. His first civilian job, from 1987 to 1998, was as an Indiana state deputy attorney general; he then started his own private law practice.[3] He was elected to the U.S. House of Representative in November 1992, at age 33.

Buyer attended The JAG School at the University of Virginia and entered U.S. Army JAG Corps. As an Army reserve officer, had three years of active duty after graduating from law school in 1984. During the Gulf War (1990–1991), Buyer, then a captain, spent five months on active duty giving legal counsel to commanders and interrogating Iraqi P.O.W.s.[3]

On March 20, 2003, Buyer said to The United States Congress that "I have been called to active duty in the United States Army. Pending further orders, I request immediate indefinite leave of the United States House of Representatives to accommodate my military duties." He also said that "a need was identified, of which Congressman Buyer has the unique skill and experience to meet the requirements," to serve in Iraq. Claiming to be called to active duty, he took a leave of absence from Congress.[4][5]

Buyer spent his paid absence from Congress in his home in Monticello Indiana. Ten days later, he said he had not been activated, contradicting his previous statement and that he was returning to Congress. Defense Department rules prevent those on active duty from campaigning for and holding elective office. Thus in June 2003, the Indianapolis Star reported that the Army, in a March 31 letter to Buyer signed by Army Secretary Thomas White, had rejected Buyer's offer to serve in the Iraq War because "we are able to meet the need without your participation," and "we are concerned that your presence would put in jeopardy the safety of those serving around you." [4]

In April 2004, Buyer was promoted to colonel in the United States Army Reserve[6] by President George W. Bush in the oval office.

When Buyer first ran for Congress, in 1992, he faced three-term Democratic incumbent Jim Jontz in what was then the 5th District, comprising twenty mostly rural counties in north central Indiana. Republican Bud Hillis had represented the district for 16 years until his retirement in 1986. Jontz, then a state senator, was elected in the face of divided Republican opposition.[3] Buyer defeated Jontz by just over 5,000 votes. He would never face another contest nearly that close, and was reelected four times from this district with an average of 62 percent of the vote.

In 2002, Buyer's district was renumbered as the 4th District, made up of 12 counties in west central Indiana, after the state lost a district in the 2000s round of redistricting.[12] Buyer had five opponents in the Republican primary, including fellow Republican congressman Brian Kerns.[13] Buyer won with 55 percent of the primary vote.[13] He easily won this heavily Republican district in November with 71 percent of the vote, and was reelected three more times after that with an average of 63 percent of the vote.

In 2003, Buyer created The Frontier Education Foundation, whose stated purpose is educational funding for college students. The initial $25,000 to start the foundation came from the pharmaceutical lobbying organization PhRMA.[19] The foundation was located in Buyer's campaign office until 2009, when after a complaint was filed, it moved to an office 3 blocks away. In addition, weeks before that interview, Buyer's campaign chairman, who had also managed the Foundation, ceased operating as the Foundation's director.[19] She was receiving a salary from the foundation ranging $12,000-$17,000 a year. Buyer's daughter Colleen was the president of the foundation until August 1, 2009. His son Ryan, in 2009, was director of the foundation, according to filings with the Indiana Secretary of State [20]

In early October 2009, Buyer's press secretary referred questions to the foundation, saying "It's not Congressman Buyer's foundation," although the foundation shared an office with Buyer's campaign office in Monticello.[21] Several days later, Buyer said he had created the foundation, with the goal of creating a sustainable organization to award scholarships to high school seniors.[22]

As of the end of 2008, annual fundraising golf outings had raised more than $880,000 for the foundation. Almost all the contributions were from 20 companies and trade organizations that had interests before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Buyer is a member. As of October 2009, the foundation had not awarded any scholarships, and had given out only $10,500 in charitable grants, almost half of which went to a cancer fund run by the chief Washington lobbyist for Eli Lilly and Company. Buyer said the foundation would need to raise at least $1 million to become self-sustaining; it would then begin awarding scholarships.

In June 2009, Buyer said "there is no connection" between his legislative actions and donations to the foundation. "I'm not an officer. I'm not a board director," he said of his role in the non-profit. "Do I help the foundation? Yes, I do. Do I help other charity groups? Yes, I do."[23]

On January 25, 2010, CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) filed complaints against Rep. Buyer with the Office of Congressional Ethics and the IRS regarding possible ethics and federal tax law violations referencing The Frontier Education Foundation.[24] The complaint was later dismissed.[25]

In 2008, in Golf Digest's list of the top 200 golfers among political power brokers in Washington, Buyer was ranked 32nd, with a handicap of 5.6.[26]

Buyer's daughter Colleen was the president of the Frontier Foundation until August 1, 2009. In 2007, she graduated from Purdue University with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) [27]

Buyer's son Ryan received a business administration degree from Ball State University in 2008, and was hired in June 2008 as a federal affairs manager for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a major lobbying organization in Washington, D.C., and the largest donor to the foundation.[28] His position is just one step above an entry-level position, according to Ken Johnson, a senior vice president with PhRMA. "He's not a lobbyist. He researches legislation and writes reports," Johnson said.[29] He first worked for PhRMA as an intern while in college.[28] Johnson said that Ryan "went through the formal interview process, and he was brought on at the lowest rung of the organization as an intern and demonstrated a lot of willingness to learn and a great work ethic." [28]

Buyer's wife Joni works as a Business System Analyst at Purdue University, in West Lafayette.[30] Spending more time with his wife, due to her incurable autoimmune disease, was cited as the reason Buyer left Congress.[2]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Buyer.

• Steve Buyer for Congress official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN