The head of the Department of Justice (DOJ) office that makes pardon recommendations to the president said she was fired after refusing to sign off on a recommendation to restore gun rights to actor Mel Gibson.

Liz Oyer, the pardon attorney at the DOJ, said through a spokesperson that she was not told why she was fired, but her termination came after she was pressured to add the actor to a list of those recommended for restoration of gun rights.

“Unfortunately, experienced professionals throughout the Department are afraid to voice their opinions because dissent is being punished,” Oyer said in a statement.

“Decisions are being made based on relationships and loyalty, not based on facts or expertise or sound analysis, which is very alarming given that what is at stake is our public safety.”

Oyer was among those placed on a new working group established at DOJ to weigh the return of gun rights to those barred from doing so after a criminal conviction.

She said in an interview with

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