Former Pardon Attorney Files Lawsuit Against US Justice Department Alleging Unlawful Termination
A lawsuit was filed by Elizabeth Oyer, the former pardon attorney for the US justice department, against the department and attorney general Todd Blanche, alleging that she was unlawfully fired for refusing to recommend restoring actor Mel Gibson's gun rights. Oyer claims she was asked to facilitate a political favor for Gibson based on his relationship with President Trump, but she declined, leading to her dismissal by then deputy attorney general Todd Blanche. The lawsuit argues that Oyer's removal violated her constitutional due process rights, Civil Service Reform Act rights, and first amendment rights, as well as core separation of power principles.
Oyer served as the pardon attorney from April 2022 to March 2025 and had previously worked as an assistant federal public defender and senior litigation counsel in the office of the federal public defender for the district of Maryland. The lawsuit seeks to declare Oyer's removal unlawful, reinstate her to federal service, restore her pay and benefits, and prohibit the justice department from taking any further adverse personnel action against her without the protections required by law.
The justice department has not yet responded to the lawsuit and its allegations. Oyer's dismissal reportedly occurred after she refused to recommend restoring Gibson's gun rights, following his 2011 domestic violence misdemeanor conviction. The lawsuit highlights the alleged pressure Oyer faced to manipulate an independent review to favor Gibson, which she resisted, leading to her termination. The lawsuit aims to address the alleged violations of Oyer's rights and seek redress for her removal from office.