Elizabeth Oyer, a former official at the Department of Justice (DoJ), claims she was dismissed after resisting pressure to restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights. Oyer, appointed under President Joe Biden in 2022, was working on a project to reinstate gun ownership rights for individuals convicted of certain crimes. She asserts that senior figures within the department pushed for Gibson's inclusion on a list of candidates for rights restoration.
Oyer revealed that a list of 95 candidates for gun rights restoration was narrowed down to nine by senior officials. They allegedly instructed her to include Mel Gibson's name, citing his personal relationship with former President Donald Trump as justification. Oyer opposed this move, leading to a tense exchange with Todd Blanche, a senior official serving under the deputy attorney general, who questioned her flexibility on the matter.
“I can’t believe this, but I really think Mel Gibson is going to be my downfall.” – Elizabeth Oyer
Oyer's account suggests that the department intended to make a swift announcement about restoring gun rights, potentially including Gibson. However, as of Tuesday, no such announcement had been made. The situation sheds light on the intersection of celebrity influence and government decision-making, as Oyer described feeling pressured by senior officials who shifted their demeanor from friendly to bullying.
“The fact that this was the No 1 thing they wanted to address was bizarre.” – Unnamed senior justice department official
Further complicating matters, a January letter from Gibson’s lawyer addressed to two senior DoJ officials, James McHenry and Emil Bove, was sent to Oyer. This letter reportedly played a role in the push for Gibson's gun rights restoration. Despite these pressures, Oyer remained steadfast in her stance against recommending gun rights restoration for individuals with histories of domestic violence.
“Giving guns back to domestic abusers is a serious matter that, in my view, is not something that I could recommend lightly, because there are real consequences that flow from people who have a history of domestic violence being in possession of firearms” – Elizabeth Oyer
The controversy gained further complexity with links to former President Donald Trump's administration. Blanche and Bove have connections to Trump, with Blanche having served as an attorney for Trump in criminal cases resulting in numerous felony convictions.
Oyer's sudden termination on Friday adds another layer to the unfolding narrative. She described the dismissal as abrupt and noted that unnamed justice department officials disputed her account to both the Times and NBC News.
“essentially explained to me that Mel Gibson has a personal relationship with President Trump and that should be sufficient basis for me to make a recommendation and that I would be wise to make the recommendation” – Elizabeth Oyer
Notably, a representative for Mel Gibson did not respond to requests for comment from the Times. The situation remains contentious as it involves high-profile figures and raises questions about the influence of personal relationships on governmental actions.