She Denied Mel Gibson a Gun—Then Trump’s DOJ Fired Her

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May 21, 2025

Liz Oyer, a former U.S. pardon attorney and public defender, recounts her abrupt ousting after refusing to reinstate Mel Gibson’s gun rights. She shares the pressures of upholding integrity amidst political turmoil and allegations of corruption within the DOJ. Oyer also highlights the troubling pattern of pardoning white-collar criminals and the urgent humanitarian concerns of displaced people worldwide. Her testimony before Congress sheds light on the intersection of politics and justice, raising alarms about the politicization of the federal pardon system.

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ANECDOTE

Fired for Denying Mel Gibson Gun Rights

Liz Oyer was asked to recommend reinstating Mel Gibson's gun rights, which she refused due to lack of safety information.
Within hours of her refusal, she was abruptly fired without explanation by the Deputy Attorney General.

ANECDOTE

Intimidation Tactic by DOJ

The DOJ sent armed US marshals to Liz Oyer's home to warn her against testifying before Congress.
She felt this was an intimidation tactic to scare her from revealing truth about her firing.

INSIGHT

Pardon Office Sidelined Under Trump

The pardon attorney's office was sidelined under the Trump administration, reducing its coordinating role.
Clemencies were issued from day one without involvement from the pardon office, disrupting the traditional process.

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When Liz Oyer was appointed US pardon attorney in 2022 by President Joe Biden, she’d landed her dream job. As a longtime public defender, Oyer was now in a position to advise the president on the backlog of thousands of individuals seeking presidential clemency. But earlier this year, her dream job ended abruptly.

In March, Oyer was asked to make a recommendation to Attorney General Pam Bondi to reinstate actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights, which were rescinded after a domestic violence conviction in 2011. Oyer reviewed the case and refused. Within hours, she says she was terminated.

Last month, Oyer testified about her firing in front of Congress. She not only accused the Department of Justice of “ongoing corruption” and abuses of power, but she also said the administration tried to send armed US marshals to her home carrying a letter warning her against testifying. Oyer says it felt like “an attempt to display the power of the Department of Justice” and “make me afraid of telling the truth about the circumstances leading up to my termination.”

In a statement, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called Oyer’s allegations about her firing erroneous and said her decision to voice those accusations is “in direct violation of her ethical duties as an attorney and is a shameful distraction from our critical mission to prosecute violent crime, enforce our nation’s immigration laws, and make America safe again.”

On this week’s episode of More To The Story, Oyer sits down with host Al Letson to discuss the details of her firing, the role of the US pardon attorney, and how an advocate and defender of January 6 insurrectionists took her place inside the Justice Department.

Read: A Whistleblower Says Trump Sent the US Marshals to Try to “Intimidate” Her (Mother Jones)
Listen: All the President’s Pardons (Reveal)
Listen: How Trump’s January 6 Pardons Hijacked History (More To The Story)
Watch: Congressional Democrats Hold Meeting on the Trump Administration Agenda (C-SPAN)

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