Full Breakdown
Former DOJ Pardon Attorney Claims Death Threats After Testifying on Acting AG Todd Blanche
7/20/2026, 8:59:11 PM
Allegations of Threats and Senatorial Conduct
Liz Oyer, who served as the Department of Justice’s pardon attorney during the Trump administration, told host Bill Kristol on the “Bulwark on Sunday” podcast that she has been receiving death threats since she testified against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche at his confirmation hearing. Oyer described the behavior of Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) as “vitriolic” and “dangerous,” saying their attacks on her role created personal risk for her family.
Background: Todd Blanche Confirmation Hearing
During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Blanche’s nomination, Oyer asserted that Blanche was unqualified for the position President Donald Trump nominated him for and accused him of using law-enforcement powers to pursue “petty grudges harbored by the president.” Her testimony prompted immediate rebuttals from the two Missouri senators, who questioned the pardon decisions she had approved.
Official Account from Liz Oyer
Oyer recounted that the senators’ remarks left her teenage son confused and upset, noting the personal impact of the exchange. She emphasized that the hostile discourse “makes it impossible to have a legitimate conversation about issues without putting yourself and your family at risk.” Oyer also warned that the escalating political tone under Trump, amplified by Hawley and Schmitt, threatens civil dialogue.
Senatorial Criticism
Senators Hawley and Schmitt responded by attacking Oyer’s record on pardon approvals, framing her testimony as misleading. Their remarks, as reported by Oyer, were intended to challenge her credibility but were characterized by her as “disingenuous” and potentially endangering.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The attacks were just so vitriolic and disingenuous that my 17-year-old son, who was with me at the hearing, said to me afterward, 'They made it sound like you murdered those people,' and he was genuinely really upset.” — Liz Oyer, Former DOJ Pardon Attorney
- “It really was just so disingenuous, and actually it's really dangerous,” — Liz Oyer
- “It takes a toll the way that this political discourse is escalating under Donald Trump and people like Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt egging it on,” — Liz Oyer
- “That's the other thing that bothers me about it. I've literally been getting death threats since that happened.” — Liz Oyer
