Robert Bauman

Robert E. Bauman (born April 4, 1937) is an American lawyer and politician. He is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 1st congressional district (1973–1981). Bauman was a prominent conservative advocate in the House before being arrested for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy. Following his departure from Congress, Bauman served as legal counsel for The Sovereign Society, and authored a series of financial books.

Early life and career Robert Edmund Bauman was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, to an unwed single mother. When a teenager, Bauman moved to Easton, Maryland, where he attended Easton High School until 1953. In 1955, he graduated from the Capitol Page School at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He obtained a B.S. in international affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1959, and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1964. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1964, was later admitted to the District of Columbia bar, and entered into private practice as a lawyer.

Representative Bauman, politically known as "Bob Bauman", served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1964, 1972, 1976 and 1980. He was also a member of the Federal Hospital Council of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1970 to 1973. In 1970, he was elected to the Maryland Senate, where he served as a member from 1971 to 1973. Bauman was also known for his exceptional knowledge of parliamentary procedure and was considered a rising star in the Republican Party in the late 1970s.

Bauman was defeated by Democrat Roy Dyson on November 4, 1980. Dyson was not considered a serious contender for the seat before the charges were filed against Bauman. In 1982, Bauman again ran for the nomination for the House seat he had lost, but withdrew from the race before primary election day.

Bauman is the author of numerous books on offshore and tax haven issues. He also wrote an autobiography, The Gentleman from Maryland: The Conscience of a Gay Conservative, which was published in 1986.