By Steve Neavling
Three Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers from the U.S. Justice Department after armed federal agents were sent to deliver a warning letter to a former employee who was planning to testify before Congress.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Sens. Adam Schiff and Cory Booker and Rep. Jamie Raskin criticized the decision to dispatch U.S. Marshals to the home of Liz Oyer, the department’s former pardon attorney, calling it an abuse of power intended to intimidate a congressional witness, Reuters reports.
“Sending armed officers to Ms. Oyer’s residence is a clear abuse of the Department of Justice’s authority and resources, which exist to serve and protect the public, not intimidate congressional witnesses,” the lawmakers wrote.
Oyer was fired by the Trump administration earlier this year and was preparing to speak at a Democratic-led hearing on the administration’s treatment of legal professionals. Days before her appearance, Marshals showed up at her home on April 4 to deliver a letter warning her not to disclose internal deliberations, Oyer said. The visit was called off only after she confirmed receipt of the letter via email.
Oyer has said she was fired shortly after refusing to recommend restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a Trump supporter. The Justice Department denies that was the reason for her dismissal, saying she was let go the same day as other career officials.
The lawmakers are requesting the names of those who ordered the deployment, as well as related documents and communications.
