Fired U.S. pardon attorney complains of intimidation tactics ahead of testimony in 'shadow hearing'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

April 7, 2025, 6:00 AM EDT / Updated April 7, 2025, 3:20 PM EDT


WASHINGTON — A lawyer representing the former U.S. pardon attorney complained in a letter to the Justice Department that it was using "security resources to intimidate" Liz Oyer ahead of her planned participation in a "shadow" hearing held Monday by congressional Democrats.

The letter said the Justice Department dispatched special deputy U.S. marshals to the home of Oyer, who said she was fired after opposing the addition of actor Mel Gibson to a list of people having their gun rights restored. (A Justice Department official disputed that the Gibson case drove her dismissal.) The special deputy U.S. marshals had been told to deliver a letter warning Oyer to obey her obligation not to reveal information protected by executive privilege when she participates in the Monday event. Ultimately, they did not deliver the letter, after Oyer confirmed receipt of the message to a secondary email.

“This highly unusual step of directing armed law enforcement officers to the home of a former Department of Justice employee who has engaged in no misconduct, let alone criminal conduct, simply to deliver a letter, is both unprecedented and completely inappropriate," Michael Bromwich, a former Department of Justice inspector general representing Oyer, wrote in a response letter addressed to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Bromwich wrote that Oyer learned the special deputy marshals had been dispatched to her home on Friday, when her teen child was home alone. "You appear to be using the Department’s security resources to intimidate a former employee who is engaged in statutorily protected whistleblower conduct, an act that implicates criminal and civil statutes as well as Department policy and your ethical obligations as a member of the bar,” Bromwich wrote.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/power-congress-democrats-spotlight-trumps-justice-department-shadow-he-rcna199773

[Leghorn21]

1. Thank you, Mr Bromwich -- *hang tough*, Ms Oyer

FUCK YOU, DUMP/BONDI PIECE OF SHIT DOJ

This is really really B A D, I can’t DEAL

[Tadpole Raisin]

2. I'll be looking to see which news organizations report

on this and play clips. This hearing should scare the bejeezus out of every American.

My goodness, threatening people with actions that could destroy their profession or conversely giving people offers of important prestigious positions if they went along with illegal orders is astonishing.

Never obey in advance!!

[Nictuku]

3. Using Federal Marshals to Intimidate her?!?!

This is particularly scary because while the Federal Marshal Service was created to assist the Federal Courts in applying their Orders and also for their protection, they (clearly) are marching to the DOJ's orders. Sadly, they are under the DOJ (I think this should be changed). The Federal Marshal Service also perform many other duties, mostly dealing with issues for the Courts. Witness Protection is one of them, transport of criminals, etc.

For them to be used in this way is absolutely sickening. And Scary. If, and When this is all over, I would like to see this heirachy changed so they are governed solely by the Federal Judiciary.

Just think about what this means: If a Federal Judge is being threatened, who do they turn to? The Federal Marshals. But lets say this TSF administration wants to snatch a Judge off the street as he/she is going to work and send them off to El Salvador, who is going to stop them?

I hope that Roberts and Barret understand that this could happen to even one of them (as this other case reaches the supreme court).

This is no longer America if these actions are not addressed and Justice is given.

Sick to my stomach over this (I worked for the Federal Courts for 21 Years, am very familiar with Judges and Federal Marshals. This is so wrong I'm going to puke)

[Leghorn21]

4. Damn straight, Nic

I have been aghast all day at this foul new development and I’m puking right alongside you

[Nictuku]

5. This shadow hearing is at least someone fighting back

?t
I'm watching it now, halfway through. Very very interesting.

OrangeCrush from DU posted a link to it, I might have missed it. https://democraticunderground.com/100220217509

[Leghorn21]

7. Thank you!

[CitizenZero]

8. Right On

If and when the People take back the power, I expect that there will be a large overhaul of our Federal System. Putting the US Marshal Service directly under the control of the Judicial Branch is one very good idea that should be implemented. There will need to be a lot of political reforms when we take back power.

[moniss]

6. Time to send a return "letter" to

"$25,000" Bondi by way of full and complete disclosure of all knowledge during the whistleblower hearing and then a full and lengthy disclosure to the media. At least what media we have left that isn't cowed.