In brief
A federal judge determined the Trump administration illegally fired Maurene Comey, citing retaliation for her family ties and political views. The judge ordered her reinstatement and back pay from July to December 2025. Comey had been the prosecutor on high‑profile cases, including those involving Jeffrey Epstein and Sean “Diddy” Combs. The Justice Department has said it will appeal. The decision marks a rare judicial rebuke of the outgoing administration.
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration illegally terminated Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, and ordered that she be rehired and paid for the period of her dismissal.
Comey, a former New York federal prosecutor, said she was fired in July 2025 because of her father’s profile and her perceived political affiliation with the opposition. The lawsuit argued that the decision was a retaliatory act by the Justice Department after James Comey became a critic of President Trump.
Judge Jesse Furman concluded that the dismissal violated the U.S. Constitution and the federal procurement rule that allows an attorney general to fire a prosecutor only for specific reasons. He noted the prosecutor’s record of “high‑profile cases” and praise from supervisors.
Comey had prosecuted cases that included the former sex‑offender Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and hip‑hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, and she is slated to receive back pay covering January to December 2025, the period between her dismissal and her new appointment.
The Justice Department declined the ruling and said it would appeal. The decision is the first judicial rebuke of a Trump‑era administration for the misuse of firing authority.
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