Former U.S. pardon attorney Liz Oyer has officially filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice over her termination, alleging that it was a direct consequence of her refusal to restore firearm rights to actor Mel Gibson. Per The Hill, Oyer was amongst those lawyers who were dismissed or reassigned early in the second Trump Administration, with her dismissal occurring in March 2025. Per the outlet, her lawsuit stated, “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, who was convicted of a domestic violence offense, should have his gun rights restored.” “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 suit noted. The lawsuit, which is being handled by the nonprofit Democracy Forward, argued that her removal was not only a retaliatory act but also a violation of her First Amendment rights. It also claimed that her hiring under the previous administration likely marked her as a target. The suspicious dismissal According to Reuters, Oyer served as the pardon attorney from 2022 to 2025. Oyer reportedly received her termination papers directly from security officers, with the documentation citing the president’s authority under Article 2 of the Constitution. This is a significant point because this process bypassed the standard protections typically afforded to civil servants. NEW: Fired former US Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer files federal civil lawsuit against Trump AdminOyer argues it was an unlawful termination that denied her due processOyer argues only Pam Bondi was authorized to fire her, but that Todd Blanche did sohttps://t.co/UIDbRC8ap0 pic.twitter.com/6maecw2qyS— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) September 3, 2026 The outlet noted that these protections usually include a 30-day notice period and the opportunity to receive a written decision that specifies exactly why a person is being removed from their position. Since her termination, she has become a vocal critic of the current administration and Attorney General Todd Blanche. Recently, when the DOJ attempted to pass regulations that interfered with State Bar Association investigations, Oyer was a loud critic. Oyer expressed her perspective on her termination, per The Hill. She stated, “This case is about much more than what happened to me. 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.” She further emphasized the stakes, stating, “That is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to operate, and it is not how public servants in this country should be treated. If career officials like me can be fired for refusing to bend the rules to serve the president’s friends, then the message to every public servant is clear: loyalty to a politician matters more than loyalty to the Constitution. I cannot accept that.” The current administration holds a different position. Reuters reported that when Democratic lawmakers called Oyer to testify in July regarding the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general, Blanche defended the decision to let her go. He told lawmakers, “I didn’t even know of that. I had known nothing about Mel Gibson or that letter when I fired her. Nothing.” The former U.S. pardon attorney has sued the Justice Department over what she calls an unlawful firing after she said she declined to recommend restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. https://t.co/zPzKhiFFDT— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) September 4, 2026 Instead, Blanche reportedly claimed her termination was partially related to commutation recommendations she had provided to former President Joe Biden. Oyer, however, testified the following day that this was the first time she had ever heard those specific recommendations cited as the reason for her firing. Interestingly, a month after Oyer’s termination, the DOJ announced that Gibson’s gun rights were being restored. The Hill reported that following her departure, the position was filled by Ed Martin, a conservative activist who previously represented several individuals involved in the January 6 events. Interestingly, Martin had failed to advance in the Senate for a U.S. attorney position due to concerns regarding his legal work. The outlet noted that according to her suit, Oyer had first sought justice through the Merit Systems Protection Board. It noted, “The MSPB has proved, however, to be a dead end. Despite filing her MSPB appeal more than sixteen months ago, she has yet to receive any substantive review of her termination.” Additionally, the suit noted, “In March 2026, the MSPB also issued a decision broadly holding that it lacks jurisdiction in many cases in which the appellant employee was removed in a purported exercise of Article II authority.” To combat that, Oyer is now seeking a formal court order to declare her firing unlawful, reinstate her position, and restore her back pay.