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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Crime & Justice

Former Pardon Attorney Sues Justice Department over ‘Unlawful’ Firing Linked to Mel Gibson Case

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Former US pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer sued the Justice Department and Attorney General Todd Blanche over her dismissal.
  • Oyer alleges she was fired after refusing to recommend restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights, saying officials asked her to disregard her duties for a political favor.
  • The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, concerns events from early 2025, when Oyer served as pardon attorney.

Elizabeth Oyer, the Justice Department’s former pardon attorney, has sued the department and Attorney General Todd Blanche over what she calls an unlawful firing tied to actor Mel Gibson.

Oyer filed the lawsuit on Thursday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. She alleges that the department dismissed her last year after she refused to recommend restoring Gibson’s gun rights.

disregard her duties and facilitate a political favor

· Elizabeth OyerOyer’s complaint alleges that officials asked her to take this action on behalf of Mel Gibson.

According to the complaint, Oyer was asked in early 2025, while serving as pardon attorney, to “disregard her duties and facilitate a political favor” for Gibson because of his “relationship with President Trump.” Gibson is described in the filing as an actor and Trump ally.

The case places Oyer’s account of the dismissal before a federal court. Her allegations target both the Justice Department and Blanche, who serves as attorney general.

relationship with President Trump

· Elizabeth OyerThe complaint says Gibson’s relationship with Trump formed the stated basis for the requested favor.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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