Despite Mel Gibson’s previous domestic violence conviction, President Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, has restored the actor’s gun rights.
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According to The New York Times, the U.S. Attorney General approved the decision to allow Gibson, who is a vocal supporter of President Trump, to own a firearm once again, more than a decade after his conviction.
Gibson lost his gun rights in 2011 after he was convicted of domestic violence after an altercation with then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva and their child.
Gibson’s gun rights restoration came just a couple of months after President Trump named a “special ambassador” to Hollywood. He and fellow conservative actors Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight were appointed to this role.
Following the special appointment, Gibson’s attorney requested that the U.S. Justice Department reverse the decision to revoke the actor’s gun rights.
However, while Bondi has restored his gun rights, Gibson can’t necessarily own a firearm anywhere in the U.S. Regardless of the federal government’s decision, each U.S. state has different gun restrictions.
Department of Justice Attorney Elizabeth G. Oyer Was Fired After Pushing Back on Restoring Mel Gibson’s Gun Rights
The U.S. Attorney General’s decision to reinstate Gibson’s gun rights came just weeks after Department of Justice attorney Elizabeth G. Oyer was fired after she pushed back on the decision.
While speaking to The New York Times about her firing, Oyer said that before she lost her job, she was added to a group of federal employees discussing the restoration of gun rights to certain people who were previously convicted of crimes.
Oyer noted she did not understand why she was added to the discussion. However, after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office determined the list of people who would have their gun rights restored, Oyer was asked to write a memo about the decisions. She was told not to include Mel Gibson’s name on the list.
Oyer claimed she was given no time to vet Gibson and the potential dangers of restoring his gun rights. She ultimately determined she could not recommend his restoration.
“There are real consequences that flow from people who have a history of domestic violence being in possession of firearms,” she said. “This isn’t political – this is a safety issue.”