Liz Oyer, a former pardon attorney for the Department of Justice (DOJ), said she believes President Trump is “determined” to “demolish the rule of law.”
Oyer, who was ousted from the DOJ earlier this month after she refused to restore gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, joined CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday to discuss Trump’s call to void the preemptive pardons issued by former President Biden because he used an autopen.
“I think we could have a legitimate debate about whether the president should or should not have the power to issue preemptive pardons like that one, but what is established is that the president does, in fact, have that power and once the president makes the decision to do that, it is unprecedented, there is no authority for a subsequent president to try to undo the pardon,” Oyer said.
She pointed to Trump’s Truth Social post, where he said Biden’s pardons should be void due to autopen use, and said she thinks it’s a distraction.
“It’s really just one small example of the fact that the president is determined to demolish the rule of law,” she said.
Biden pardoned several of Trump’s political enemies before the administration change. The pardons included lawmakers who sat on the House panel that investigated Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Biden’s family, Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley.
Trump argued Monday that Biden didn’t sign the papers or know “anything about them!” He said those on the House committee should expect to be investigated “at the highest level,” even though it’s unknown whether Biden used an autopen or Trump can reverse a pardon.
Oyer noted that on Friday, Trump visited with DOJ employees and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“She essentially endorsed the idea that she’s not going to be independent of the president,” Oyer said about Bondi, noting a major Democratic concern in her confirmation process. “She does not have an agenda of her own. She’s not going to stand up to him. She is there to facilitate the president’s agenda.”
Oyer later added that Trump seeking retribution on attorneys he doesn’t like is another way he is attacking the rule of law.
“It’s a very scary, alarming situation for all Americans and should be to everyone, regardless of their politics,” she said.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
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