Federal Judge Rules Justice Department Illegally Fired Former Prosecutor

A federal judge ruled that the Justice Department unlawfully fired former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, finding that her dismissal violated constitutional due process.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman issued the ruling in New York on Monday, ordering that Comey receive back pay and the option to return to her previous post in Manhattan.

The decision addresses broader questions regarding executive power and federal employment protections under the Trump administration.

Attorneys representing Maurene Comey praised the legal outcome.

"This hard-earned victory belongs to Ms. Comey, to all civil servants, and to all fighting for the rule of law," her attorneys said in a statement.

Maurene Comey worked as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan for roughly 10 years, handling high-profile cases involving Sean Combs, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Justice Department terminated her employment in July 2025 despite positive performance evaluations.

She subsequently filed a lawsuit asserting that her dismissal was politically motivated retaliation because her father is former FBI Director James Comey, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump.

Judge Furman wrote that the department invented an expansive theory of executive power that threatened constitutional equilibrium.

The Justice Department stated that it disagreed with the court order and planned to file an appeal.

Meanwhile, federal prosecutors filed separate criminal charges against James Comey alleging the transmission of national defense information.

The latest filing marks the third time the Justice Department has initiated criminal proceedings against the former FBI director.

James Comey denied wrongdoing in a video shared on Substack.

"It would almost be funny if it weren't such an appalling abuse of the department of justice, one that we cannot become numb to," he said.

Patrick Fitzgerald, a lawyer representing James Comey, said previous investigations by two distinct prosecutorial teams concluded that no charges were warranted regarding the 2016 disclosures.

Judge Furman has not yet issued a ruling on Maurene Comey's separate First Amendment claim regarding protected speech, leaving further legal arguments scheduled for a later date.