Justice Department pardon lawyer who says she was fired in dispute over Mel Gibson’s gun rights sues
Elizabeth Oyer says the firing violated civil service law and free speech protections after she refused to recommend restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights.
- Former Justice Department pardon attorney Liz Oyer sued the agency Thursday, alleging she was fired for refusing to restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights as an illegal "political favor" for a friend of President Donald Trump.
- Oyer objected to the request citing Gibson's prior domestic violence conviction, which resulted in the loss of his gun privileges; her March 2025 termination followed her refusal to comply with then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's staff.
- At his confirmation hearing last month, Blanche denied Oyer's account, stating her firing resulted from recommendations inconsistent with Trump's authority, including commuting sentences for 37 federal death row inmates.
- Seeking reinstatement, Oyer filed her lawsuit in Washington after the Merit Systems Protection Board left her complaint in "prolonged limbo," arguing her termination violated First Amendment rights and civil service protections.
- The case extends beyond Oyer's reinstatement, as she maintains firing career officials for refusing to bend rules sends the message that "loyalty to a politician matters more than loyalty to the Constitution.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Former US pardon attorney Liz Oyer sues DOJ for unlawful firing
By Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff WASHINGTON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - The former U.S. pardon attorney has sued the Justice Department over what she calls an unlawful firing after she said she declined to recommend restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a vocal sup...
DOJ Sued For Firing Pardon Attorney Over Mel Gibson
The Guardian reports: The former pardon attorney for the US Justice Department, Elizabeth Oyer, filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the department and Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of “unlawfully” firing her last year after she said she refused to recommend restoring actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights. In the complaint, filed in the US … The post DOJ Sued For Firing Pardon Attorney Over Mel Gibson appeared first on Joe.My.God..
Todd Blanche's 'unlawful' actions to punish DOJ Attorney revealed in court filing
Attorney General Todd Blanche unlawfully fired a career Justice Department lawyer hours after she refused to help restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights, a lawsuit alleges.Elizabeth Oyer, who reviewed clemency requests as the department's pardon attorney until March 2025, filed the complaint Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C.Blanche was not the attorney general when he signed her termination memo, according to the complaint. He was the…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
