By Steve Neavling
The Justice Department sent armed U.S. marshals to the home of a former career official who was preparing to testify before congressional Democrats, an unusual move her attorney described as “unprecedented and completely inappropriate,” Reuters reports.
The marshals were dispatched to deliver a letter to Liz Oyer, a former pardon attorney fired last month, warning her about disclosing internal DOJ discussions. They were called off only after Oyer found the letter in a secondary email account and confirmed receipt, her lawyer, Michael Bromwich, wrote in a letter to the department.
“This highly unusual step… simply to deliver a letter, is both unprecedented and completely inappropriate,” Bromwich wrote.
Oyer, who testified Monday before Democrats in the House and Senate, said she was in a car with her family when she learned armed officers were enroute to her home, where her teenage child was alone.
“Fortunately, due to the grace of a very decent person… the deputies were called off,” she told lawmakers.
Oyer was among several career Justice Department officials fired March 7 by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. She has said her dismissal came shortly after she refused to recommend restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a Trump supporter.
The letter to Oyer cited “significant confidentiality interests,” especially given her role in clemency decisions. DOJ warned her not to disclose deliberative information protected under executive privilege.
Democrats blasted the department’s handling of the situation. Sen. Adam Schiff called it an effort to “intimidate and silence,” while Rep. Jamie Raskin compared it to tactics “ripped straight from the gangster playbook.”
Oyer pushed back during her testimony: “I will not be bullied into concealing the ongoing corruption and abuse of power at the Department of Justice.”
