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Liz Oyer, a former Justice Department pardons official, sued this week in federal court in Washington, saying she was unlawfully dismissed after refusing a request to add actor Mel Gibson to a list for restored gun rights. Her complaint frames the firing as political retaliation that threatens the independence of career civil servants.
Lawsuit says refusal to grant a “favor” led to swift removal
Oyer alleges she was fired in March 2025 after turning down a request from the office of then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to recommend reinstating Gibson’s gun privileges. According to the lawsuit, she opposed the inclusion on public-safety grounds given a prior domestic-violence conviction that had previously cost him those rights.
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The complaint describes a sudden dismissal: after Oyer sent an internal memo explaining her concerns, a coworker escorted her from a meeting and Justice Department security delivered a termination letter, instructed her to collect her belongings and removed her from the building.
Justice Department response and competing explanations
Blanche, who has since become attorney general, has denied Oyer’s account. During his Senate confirmation last month he said he was unaware of any request involving Gibson or any letter tied to her firing, and testified that Oyer’s dismissal stemmed from multiple personnel decisions.
At the hearing, Blanche pointed to Oyer’s work near the end of the previous administration — including recommendations on clemency and commutations — as inconsistent with the incoming administration’s priorities. Oyer testified against Blanche’s nomination and told senators that the Gibson-related explanation for her removal was new to her and had not been previously offered.
Why the case matters now
This suit is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges brought by career Justice Department employees who say they were removed for political reasons under the Trump administration. Oyer says the Merit Systems Protection Board left her complaint unresolved, prompting her to seek relief in federal court; she is asking for a declaration that her firing was unlawful and for reinstatement.
- Alleged conduct: Oyer says she refused to recommend restoring gun rights for Gibson because of public-safety concerns tied to a prior conviction.
- Immediate outcome: She says she was terminated within hours of documenting her objections and escorted from the building.
- Department’s position: Blanche denies the Gibson connection and cites other personnel decisions as the basis for the firing.
- Legal claims: The lawsuit asserts violations of civil service protections and Oyer’s First Amendment rights, alleging part of the removal was based on perceived political affiliation.
- Relief sought: A court order declaring the termination unlawful and reinstating Oyer to federal service.
The stakes extend beyond one employee. If the court finds civil servants can be fired for refusing to take actions perceived as political favors, career officials say it could chill decision-making across federal agencies and tilt loyalty toward political leaders rather than legal duties.
What comes next
The case will proceed in the U.S. District Court in Washington. Observers will watch both for immediate personnel implications and for broader precedent about how far political appointees may go in influencing decisions by career staff.
Oyer frames her suit as defending the ability of public servants to apply the law impartially. Her filing now places that claim before a judge after administrative channels, she says, failed to produce timely relief.
