A former U.S. pardon attorney fired for not restoring the gun rights of actor and director Mel Gibson has sued the Justice Department claiming unlawful termination.
Elizabeth Oyer alleges she was fired because Gibson, who lost firearm rights due to a domestic violence conviction, is a friend and supporter of President Donald Trump.
“Shortly after President Trump took office, Ms. Oyer was asked to disregard her duties and facilitate a political favor for the actor Mel Gibson, based on Mr. Gibson’s relationship with President Trump. Ms. Oyer was asked to make it seem like an independent review had concluded that Mr. Gibson … should have his gun rights restored,” according to the lawsuit filed Sept. 3 by Democracy Forward.
Liz Oyer
She was fired by then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche soon after refusing to comply with the scheme. In the process, Oyer was denied notice and the opportunity to speak on her own behalf as legally required for civil servants.
Pardon attorneys process clemency petitions and make recommendations to the attorney general before a president makes the ultimate decision on which applicants are granted pardons. Oyer was appointed to the position in 2022.
Gibson, known for his roles in the first three Mad Max films and as director of The Passion of the Christ, pleaded no contest to one charge of misdemeanor battery in 2011 in connection with a fight with his ex-girlfriend. He was sentenced to 36 months’ probation and ordered to perform community service and undergo 12 months of domestic violence counseling.
Gibson cannot own firearms due to a federal law permanently denying the right to those convicted of domestic violence offenses.
“Ms. Oyer had serious concerns about the public safety implications of granting Mr. Gibson’s request in light of his history of domestic violence and the well-documented dangers of placing firearms in the hands of domestic abusers,” the complaint explains, adding DOJ resource guide on domestic violence warns that the presence of guns “significantly escalates” the likelihood of violence in situations where domestic violence has occurred.
“Further, unlike the other individuals on the recommended list for gun rights restoration, who had undergone a significant amount of background investigation, Mr. Gibson had not been investigated, and Ms. Oyer’s staff was not able to assess his likelihood of recidivism.”
When she communicated these concerns to Blanche’s staff in an email in March 2025, Oyer was contacted by a high-ranking official who “employed a bullying tone and suggested to Ms. Oyer that she would be wise to make the recommendation.”
She sent a memo the following day not recommending reinstatement for Gibson and stating the decision was up to the attorney general.
“A few hours later, Ms. Oyer was in an unrelated meeting when a colleague pulled her out of the meeting and advised her that DOJ security officers were waiting in her office to deliver her termination papers. Ms. Oyer returned to her office, where two DOJ security officers handed her a memo from Mr. Blanche, instructed her to pack up her personal belongings, and escorted her out of the building.”
The termination was unlawful because Senior Executive Service employees such as Oyer can be fired only for offenses such as misconduct, malfeasance and neglect of duty, and they must be given a 30-day notice beforehand, according to the lawsuit.
“Moreover, Ms. Oyer’s termination was further unlawful in that it discriminated against Ms. Oyer on the basis of political affiliation, because, on information and belief, it was based on DOJ’s perception that Ms. Oyer, who was hired during the Biden administration, was not politically affiliated with the current administration.”
The action asks the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to declare Oyer’s firing unlawful and restore her to federal service.
But the case is about much more than what happened to one person, Oyer said separately.
“All Americans rely on nonpartisan civil servants to keep them safe and to uphold the law without fear or favor. I was fired because I refused to put politics ahead of my duty to the American people. My firing violated my constitutional and statutory rights, and it also jeopardized public safety.”
The Constitution and civil service regulations are designed to protect civil servants from retaliation for doing their jobs, Democracy Forward CEO Skye Perryman said. “This lawsuit seeks to ensure that no administration can weaponize government power against career officials simply because they refused to bend to political demands. The independence, integrity and credibility of our justice system are at stake.”