Key takeaways from recent developments in the Justice Department:

• The DOJ is trying to restrict former pardon attorney Liz Oyer's congressional testimony, citing executive privilege.
• Oyer alleges her dismissal stemmed from her refusal to advocate for restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson.
• Armed U.S. marshals were deployed to deliver a letter outlining restrictions on her testimony.
• The upcoming congressional hearing represents a significant moment for recently dismissed DOJ officials to voice their concerns.
• Oyer's attorney has called the DOJ's actions a “deplorable incident” and an intimidation tactic against whistleblowers.

The Justice Department (DOJ) is attempting to invoke executive privilege to prevent its former pardon attorney, Liz Oyer, from testifying before Congress regarding her firing. This move follows Oyer's dismissal last month after she reportedly declined to recommend the restoration of actor Mel Gibson's gun rights. Oyer is set to appear at a joint House and Senate hearing alongside other witnesses, including a former public corruption prosecutor who resigned in protest over the department's handling of a fraud case against New York Mayor Eric Adams, as reported by LA Times and Newsweek.

In a controversial gesture, armed deputy U.S. marshals were dispatched to deliver a warning letter to Oyer, stipulating that discussing the internal deliberations regarding pardons and gun rights could violate legal protections afforded by executive privilege. Her attorney, Michael Bromwich, criticized this move as a clear attempt at intimidation, labeling the delivery of a warning by armed law enforcement officers to a former DOJ employee with no allegations of misconduct as "unprecedented and entirely inappropriate." He emphasized this point in communications with the department, which highlight the chilling implications for other former DOJ employees considering whistleblower testimony (New York Times).

Oyer, who served as the DOJ’s pardon attorney under President Joe Biden, voiced her determination to testify, stating, "I am here because I will not be bullied into concealing the ongoing corruption and abuse of power at the Department of Justice." She is expected to discuss not only her personal experiences but also wider concerns about the direction of the DOJ under the Trump administration. Bromwich plans to refer the matter to the inspector general for further investigation into the department's conduct regarding her dismissal and the implications for whistleblower protections.

The confrontation between Oyer and the DOJ underscores ongoing tensions within the federal agency, particularly concerning its leadership and accountability mechanisms. This hearing marks a pivotal moment as former DOJ employees share their insights and experiences regarding the agency's operations, revealing a potential culture of suppression and reprisals against those who oppose unfavorable decisions.