Brian Kelsey says he has received a pardon from President Donald Trump, just two weeks after the former state senator reported to federal prison to serve a 21-month sentence for an illegal campaign finance scheme he pleaded guilty to in 2022.

President Trump pardoned former Tennessee state Sen. Brian Kelsey on Tuesday, two weeks into his prison sentence for campaign finance violations. Why it matters: The pardon is a major victory for Kelsey,

Brian Kelsey, a Republican, pleaded guilty to illegally funneling money to his failed campaign for Congress in 2016. He later tried unsuccessfully to withdraw his plea.