Judge Rules DOJ Unlawfully Fired Prosecutor Maurene Comey

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled on Monday that the Department of Justice unlawfully fired federal prosecutor Maurene Comey in July 2025. The court found the termination violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the separation of powers, and Comey's Fifth Amendment due process rights.

Maurene Comey, a trial lawyer in the Southern District of New York who worked on cases involving Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean Combs, alleged she was terminated due to her political beliefs or her relationship with her father, former FBI Director James Comey. The court identified former Attorney General Pam Bondi as the official who made the final decision to fire Comey, a move later ratified by current Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Judge Furman rejected the government's argument that the Attorney General could remove prosecutors at will under Article II of the Constitution, stating that such a claim sought to overturn nearly two decades of Supreme Court precedent. The court ordered that Comey be retroactively reinstated through December 2025 and receive back pay. This ruling may establish a legal path for other civil service employees seeking to appeal terminations executed under the administration of President Donald Trump.