EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Trump Pardon Chief Fighting DOJ for Secret Records Behind Mel Gibson's Gun-Rights Scandal
Former U.S. Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer is battling the Justice Department for records tied to the push to restore Mel Gibson's gun rights.
Sept. 10 2026, Published 4:45 p.m. ET
Former U.S. Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer is waging a separate legal battle against the Justice Department for records tied to the explosive push to restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
According to federal court records exclusively obtained by Radar, Oyer's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit remains active in Washington, D.C., with the former DOJ official filing a Second Supplemental Notice on August 28 as she continues trying to force the department to turn over documents connected to Gibson and her abrupt firing.
Oyer's Legal Battle With DOJ Deepens
Former U.S. Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer claims she was fired after refusing to restore Mel Gibson's gun rights.
The case is separate from Oyer's more recent wrongful-termination lawsuit against Attorney General Todd Blanche, filed on September 3.
As Radar previously reported, Oyer claims she was illegally fired after refusing to recommend restoring Mel Gibson's gun rights.
Oyer launched the FOIA action in May 2025, accusing the DOJ of unlawfully withholding records concerning the request that she recommend restoring Gibson's firearm rights and the circumstances surrounding her removal as pardon attorney.
Oyer Refused to Back Gibson's Gun Rights Restoration
AG Todd Blanche says Oyer's firing had nothing to do with the Mel Gibson gun-rights dispute.
She said her office had identified dozens of candidates who had undergone review before Justice Department leadership narrowed the list.
But Oyer claimed she was then asked to add Gibson — who had not gone through the same vetting process — after his name was raised by senior officials.
She refused to recommend the actor without what she described as a standard background investigation, citing concerns over his prior domestic violence conviction and public safety. Gibson lost his ability to possess firearms following a 2011 misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
Oyer has said she believed restoring firearm rights in cases involving domestic violence demanded additional scrutiny and that she would not sign off simply because Gibson had powerful connections to President Donald Trump.
Mel Gibson's Gun-Rights Push
Mel Gibson was at the center of a push to restore federal firearm rights.
She was fired on March 7, 2025. Oyer has repeatedly alleged her resistance to the Gibson request played a role in her termination.
Blanche has disputed that account, saying he did not know about the Gibson issue when he fired her and maintaining that her dismissal was based on other reasons.
The records battle has continued long after Oyer left the department.
Oyer's Gibson Legal Battle Continues on Two Fronts
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Oyer claims Gibson had not undergone the same vetting process as other candidates.
Earlier this year, she asked a federal judge to reject DOJ's attempt to end the case, arguing officials conducted an unreasonably narrow search for responsive documents.
Oyer asked the court to order a new search and compel the production of records she maintains were improperly withheld. DOJ has defended its handling of the requests.
The docket shows the dispute has continued through multiple rounds of supplemental filings, including Oyer's July 1 notice, DOJ's July 16 response and her latest August 28 submission.
The legal fight comes as Oyer separately seeks reinstatement, back pay, and other relief over her firing — keeping the Gibson controversy alive on two fronts inside federal court.
