Ex-pardon attorney sues DOJ over firing tied to Mel Gibson gun rights case
Former U.S. pardon attorney Liz Oyer has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice over her dismissal, which she says came after she refused to recommend restoring actor Mel Gibson's gun rights. Oyer claims she was asked to make it appear an independent review had concluded Gibson should have his rights restored, despite his domestic violence conviction. She argues her firing violated civil service protections and jeopardized public safety.
Oyer's dismissal came during the initial wave of Trump administration personnel changes at the Justice Department in early 2025. Her lawsuit, filed through the nonprofit Democracy Forward, alleges she was pressured to present a predetermined outcome as an independent finding, despite Gibson's domestic violence conviction raising public safety concerns. The termination notice cited Article 2 presidential authority rather than standard civil service procedures.
Following Oyer's removal, Ed Martin assumed the pardon attorney role. Martin, a conservative activist who had represented January 6 defendants, previously failed to secure Senate confirmation for a U.S. attorney position. Oyer's appeal before the Merit Systems Protection Board stalled for over sixteen months, prompting her to pursue federal court action.
This case could signal how far political pressure may extend into supposedly independent government functions. If career officials face termination for refusing politically motivated requests, the deterrent effect on future whistleblowers and rule-following civil servants may be significant. The public safety dimension—restoring gun rights to someone with a domestic violence conviction—could also resonate with broader debates about firearm restrictions and how political connections might circumvent established legal safeguards.