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

Former US Pardon Lawyer Liz Oyer testifies at a congressional listening to April 7, 2025. Oyer accused the Division of Justice of “ongoing corruption” and abuses of energy.J. Scott Applewhite/AP

When Liz Oyer was appointed US pardon lawyer in 2022 by President Joe Biden, she’d landed her dream job. As a longtime public defender, Oyer was now able to advise the president on the backlog of hundreds of people searching for presidential clemency. However earlier this yr, her dream job ended abruptly.

In March, Oyer was requested to make a suggestion to Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi to reinstate actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights, which have been rescinded after a home violence conviction in 2011. Oyer reviewed the case and refused. Inside hours, she says she was terminated. 

Final month, Oyer testified about her firing in entrance of Congress. She not solely accused the Division of Justice of “ongoing corruption” and abuses of energy, however she additionally mentioned the administration tried to ship armed US marshals to her house carrying a letter warning her in opposition to 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 press release, Deputy Lawyer Normal Todd Blanche known as Oyer’s allegations about her firing inaccurate and mentioned her resolution to voice these 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 Extra To The Story, Oyer sits down with host Al Letson to debate the small print of her firing, the function of the US pardon lawyer, and the way an advocate and defender of January 6 insurrectionists took her place contained in the Justice Division.

Discover Extra To The Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, or your favourite podcast app, and don’t overlook to subscribe.