The pardon attorney in the Department of Justice, Elizabeth Oyer, was fired after refusing to recommend the reinstatement of the gun rights of Oscar-winning actor and director Mel Gibson, a prominent supporter of President Trump.
The Hollywood star had been banned from owning firearms following a 2011 domestic violence felony conviction.
Oyer is one of several high-ranking Justice Department officials who were fired Friday, following the Trump administration’s decision to remove or demote senior employee attorneys who play critical roles in agency decisions.
About two weeks ago, she had been included in a team that was to decide whether to restore the right to bear arms for people convicted of certain crimes. This initiative was supported by some right-wingers who said that not all people with criminal convictions are dangerous or deserving of such a ban. This was an unusual assignment for the pardon attorney’s office, which usually handles clemency requests and tries to focus on people who cannot hire lawyers to plead their case to the White House.
Oyer also revealed that she was pressured to approve the restoration of the gun rights of Mel Gibson, one of the most recognizable faces of American cinema and an ardent supporter of President Trump. In January, shortly after his return to the White House, the MAGA leader announced on social media that he had named the conservative actor and director, along with a few others, as “special ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California.”
In 2011, Gibson pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court after being accused of beating his ex-girlfriend. He received a sentence of community service, counseling and three years’ probation, and was ordered to pay $570 in fines.
“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,” Oyer added.
The attorney was also aware of another matter involving Gibson, dating back to 2006, when the actor was caught verbally insulting and using an anti-Semitic attitude toward a police officer who had stopped him on suspicion of drunk driving.
In a brief e-mail, therefore, Oyer replied to her superiors at the Justice Department that she could not recommend to the attorney general that Mr. Gibson’s gun rights be restored. Soon after, she was contacted by a side agency official, who explained that the Hollywood celebrity has a close relationship with President Trump–a “detail” that should have convinced her to change her mind.
However, Oyer chose to stand by her decision. Within days, she was fired. Despite several denials by the department, her dismissal was immediately linked by public opinion to the “Gibson affair.”
