Mel Gibson's gun rights to be restored by Trump administration: report
FILE - Actor Mel Gibson attends the Los Angeles Special Preview Screening of "Monster Summer" at Directors Guild Of America on September 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
The Trump administration is reportedly planning to restore the gun rights of actor Mel Gibson, according to The New York Times.
Sources told the outlet that Gibson, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump, is one of 10 people who will have their gun rights reinstated. The decision was reportedly approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Why did Mel Gibson lose his gun rights?
The backstory:
Gibson pleaded no contest in 2011 to one count of misdemeanor spousal battery of his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. He was sentenced to three years of probation, domestic violence counseling and two days of community service.
The Oscar-winning director completed the terms of his sentence within a year.
He was accused of striking Grigorieva during a fight in January 2010, although she did not report the incident to authorities until months later. By then, the pair was locked in a custody battle over their infant daughter.
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A Los Angeles court vacated his misdemeanor conviction in 2014, but federal rules restrict gun access for people who had restraining orders stemming from domestic violence.
What's next:
The Times reports that Trump is looking to loosen gun restrictions by the federal government, with the Justice Department recently publishing new rules to reinstate gun rights for some people convicted of crimes.
Even if he gets his federal rights restored, state laws could interfere with his ability to own a firearm.
Mel Gibson’s ‘personal’ relationship with Trump
Dig deeper:
Elizabeth G. Oyer, a former pardon attorney for the Justice Department, told The NYT that she was fired not long after she refused to recommend that Gibson’s gun rights be restored.
A department official reportedly tried to convince her to make the recommendation based on Gibson’s "personal relationship with President Trump."
In January, Trump announced that Gibson would be one of three actors he’s appointing as special envoys to make Hollywood "bigger, better and stronger." The other two actors are Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone.
"It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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"I heed the call," said Gibson, who lost his Malibu mansion in the devastating California wildfires. "My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can."
The Source: This report includes information from The New York Times and The Associated Press.