Mel Gibson’s Right to Own Firearms Reinstated by Trump-Era DOJ
According to a weekend report, actor Mel Gibson will have his right to bear arms restored by the Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump.
Gibson had lost his firearm rights following a 2011 battery charge, The New York Times reported. Now, under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ is set to reinstate those rights—not only for Gibson, but also for nine additional individuals with prior criminal convictions, the report states.
Elizabeth G. Oyer, the former DOJ pardon attorney who was dismissed last month, had previously stated she would not support Gibson’s petition for gun rights restoration. Gibson had pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge involving a former girlfriend.
After her dismissal, Oyer told The Times she had been urged to reconsider her stance because Gibson “has a personal relationship with President Trump.”
The Justice Department has recently introduced updated guidelines aimed at allowing some individuals with criminal histories to regain firearm rights.
Despite this shift, the DOJ emphasized its ongoing commitment to preventing “violent and dangerous people” from obtaining weapons, while also asserting the need for “an appropriate avenue” for others to reclaim their Second Amendment rights if they’ve demonstrated rehabilitation.
Each case is assessed individually, based on “a combination of the nature of their past criminal activity and their subsequent and current law-abiding behavior.”
The actor, best known for roles in “Lethal Weapon” and “Braveheart,” made headlines again in January when his Malibu residence was destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires. At the time, Gibson had been in Austin, Texas, taping a podcast episode with Joe Rogan.
During a phone interview on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” the Academy Award winner opened up about the incident, saying he was coping well despite the loss.
“Obviously, it’s kind of devastating. It’s emotional,” he shared. “You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. You remember [comedian] George Carlin talking about your stuff? I had my stuff there, and it’s all like, I’ve been relieved from the burden of my stuff because it’s all in cinders.”
He also mentioned feeling “ill at ease” while recording the podcast, as he was aware of the wildfire nearing his neighborhood.
“When I got home, sure enough, [the house] wasn’t there,” Gibson told Vargas. “I went home, and I said to myself, ‘Well, at least I haven’t got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore.’”
According to WBAL-TV, Gibson and his girlfriend had evacuated in advance. While she remained in California, he traveled to Texas for the recording.
“I have never seen a place so perfectly burned,” he remarked. “You could put it in an urn.”
The devastating fires also impacted other notable figures such as Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Billy Crystal, Jeff Bridges, Paris Hilton, and Ricki Lake, according to local media reports.
In a statement to CNN, Crystal expressed the depth of the loss: “Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing. We ache for our friends and neighbors who have also lost their homes and businesses in this tragedy.”
He added, “Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away.”
“Of course, we are heartbroken, but with the love of our children and friends, we will get through this. We pray for the safety of the firefighters and first responders. The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people, and we know that in time, it will rise again. It is our home.”