Judge Rules Firing of Prosecutor Maurene Comey Unlawful, Orders Reinstatement With Back Pay

A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Monday that the Justice Department unlawfully fired Maurene Comey, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, and ordered her reinstated with back pay. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman, in a 55-page opinion, found her July 2025 removal violated the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and was not authorized by any statute. He rejected the government's argument that Article II of the Constitution lets the president fire assistant U.S. attorneys, saying accepting it would unsettle the constitutional system. The reinstatement is retroactive, with back pay beginning December 20, 2025. Comey is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. She worked on cases against Jeffrey Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean Combs. She sued, arguing the firing was retribution against her father and violated constitutional protections. The department gave no reason at the time and cited only presidential authority.

Left-leaning outlets frame the ruling around politics. The New Republic calls it a huge loss for Trump, recalls James Comey's testimony to Congress on Russian interference, and relays Furman's remark about nearly two centuries of precedent. MS NOW stresses her Maxwell and Combs cases. Right-leaning outlets agree on the legal outcome but add other details. The Washington Examiner notes Furman was appointed by Obama, attributes the vendetta claim to Comey, mentions her September 2025 complaint, and cites Furman's reference to forty years of executive-branch practice. The Daily Mail calls the ruling a bombshell, adds the Menendez prosecution, and lists her First, Fifth Amendment and separation-of-powers claims. Neither side disputes the reasoning. They differ in whether they emphasize retribution or the judge's background and her claims.