Justice Department attorney fired after refusing to restore Mel Gibson's gun rights

Per The New York Times, two weeks ago, Oyer received a memo recommending that nine people who committed crimes have their gun rights restored. She obliged and gave her recommendation. Perhaps hoping she wouldn’t notice or read who the request was for, her higher-ups sent a follow-up request to “add Mel Gibson to this memo,” as if that’s just some guy, along with a letter from Gibson’s lawyer to a senior Justice Department official. Oyer told the Times that “giving guns back to domestic abusers” is not something that she “could recommend lightly” due to the “real consequences that flow from people who have a history of domestic violence.” So, she refused to recommend his rights be restored. A few hours later, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called her and strongly advised that it would “be wise” to do so because of Gibson’s “personal relationship with President Trump.” The next day, she refused to make the recommendation again and was handed her pink slip later that day.

It’s a comfort in these trying times to know how much effort and concern is going into whether or not Mel Gibson has access to guns. Back in 2016, he explained that he’s moved on with this very likable bit of contrition.

“A lot of time goes by. People are tired of petty grudges about nothing. About somebody having a nervous breakdown (after) double tequilas in the back of a police car,” he told USA Today. “Regrettable. I’ve made my apologies, I’ve done my bit. Moved along. Ten years later. Big deal.”