In a bold move that’s causing ripples throughout Washington, a former Biden-era pardon attorney has publicly criticized the Department of Justice, asserting that her dismissal was tied to her refusal to restore Mel Gibson’s gun rights. Elizabeth Oyer, who was recently let go by President Trump’s newly appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, expressed her frustration in an interview with The New York Times.
According to Oyer, the controversy centers around Gibson, whose access to firearms was restricted following a 2011 “no contest” plea to a misdemeanor battery charge involving a former girlfriend. “Giving guns back to domestic abusers is a serious matter that, in my view, is not something that I could recommend lightly because there are real consequences that flow from people who have a history of domestic violence being in possession of firearms,” Oyer told The New York Times.
However, the Justice Department has countered Oyer’s claims. A DOJ official, speaking to ABC News, refuted the notion that the Gibson issue was linked to her removal. More details were shared in an ABC News report:
A top official leading the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney said she was fired from her post one day after refusing to recommend that actor Mel Gibson’s access to firearms be restored, according to a new interview and a statement provided to ABC News on Tuesday.
In the interview, Oyer explained that the request to include Gibson’s name on a list of individuals whose gun rights should be reinstated came unexpectedly. This request followed a special appointment Gibson received from President Trump, prompting his attorneys to appeal directly to senior DOJ officials.
Oyer alleged that after her initial refusal, she received pressure from a senior official in Todd Blanche’s office to reconsider, emphasizing Gibson’s close ties with President Trump. Yet, a DOJ source, who wished to remain anonymous, insisted that this contention over gun rights had no bearing on Oyer’s dismissal.
