Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (April 7, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement rebuking the Trump Department of Justice’s (DOJ) shocking efforts to intimidate wrongfully fired former DOJ Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer into not testifying before House and Senate Democrats at today’s Bicameral Spotlight Hearing on Trump’s attacks on the rule of law: 

“In a move ripped straight from the gangster playbook, last Friday night Trump’s Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche directed DOJ’s Security and Emergency Planning Staff to send two armed Special Deputy U.S. Marshals to serve wrongfully fired former Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer with a letter at her home. It was an attempt to intimidate Ms. Oyer and bully her into not testifying at our bicameral Spotlight Hearing today.

“Todd Blanche is panicking, of course, because Ms. Oyer is scheduled to speak before House and Senate Democrats on her wrongful termination from DOJ for refusing to give special treatment to Mel Gibson, a Trump ally, in restoring his gun rights after a domestic violence conviction.

“Ms. Oyer’s up-close-and-personal experience with the corrupt Trump regime illuminates the lawlessness that America now faces. This is why they are working to silence her.

“I encourage all Americans—Republicans and Democrats and everyone along the spectrum—to listen today to the chilling testimony of Liz Oyer and others who can vividly describe this Administration’s shameful attacks on the rule of law. 

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Oyer for her unshakable determination to shine a light on this DOJ’s lawlessness. We are thankful for her testimony, and we will not allow her or anyone else to be silenced.”