Manhattan Judge Rules Trump Administration Broke Due Process in Maurene Comey Firing
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A federal judge said the Justice Department unlawfully terminated Maurene Comey in July 2025, turning a personnel dispute into a sweeping ruling over separation of powers and administrative procedure.
A Manhattan federal judge ruled on Monday that the Justice Department improperly dismissed Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor, in July 2025. In a 55-page opinion, Judge Jesse M. Furman said the termination breached the separation of powers, federal administrative law and Comey’s due-process rights.
Comey, who had been serving as a trial lawyer in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, was handling high-profile cases that included the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean Combs at the time of her dismissal.
"There was no possible reason for my firing besides my father’s role as former FBI director or my perceived political affiliation and beliefs," Comey said.
The ruling marks a significant legal challenge to the administration’s personnel actions within the Justice Department, adding another obstacle to its efforts to manage staffing and discipline within one of the government’s most sensitive agencies.