Veteran Federal Prosecutor Maurene Comey Sues Trump Administration Over Abrupt Firing
Maurene Comey, a longtime federal prosecutor, sued the Trump administration Monday, alleging her abrupt firing earlier this year was unconstitutional and violated federal law.
Comey alleged that the Department of Justice (DOJ) “solely or substantially” fired her because her father is former FBI Director James Comey, one of President Donald Trump’s longtime enemies, and for her “perceived political affiliation and beliefs.”
“The facts and circumstances reflect that Ms. Comey was terminated not because of her performance or for any cause, but in retaliation for her association with her father James Comey and his constitutionally protected speech, or because of her perceived political affiliation and viewpoint, or both,” her lawsuit reads.
Comey said she did not receive an explicit reason for her sudden dismissal as a federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York in July.
The Southern District of New York is one of several U.S. attorneys offices that have been roiled by Trump’s takeover of the DOJ and his political appointees’ efforts to purge the department of those deemed insufficiently loyal to the president.
During her time at the Southern District of New York, Comey handled a series of high-profile cases, including sex trafficking cases against Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Her dismissal came as Trump was attempting to quell frustration from his supporters over his administration’s handling of files related to Epstein.
Comey argued her dismissal could not have been based on her performance, noting that before her firing she received commendatory performance review and was asked to take the lead on “a major public corruption case.”
The DOJ dismissed Comey by only citing Article II of the Constitution, which concerns presidential powers.
Trump officials have routinely referenced Article II to make broad assertions of presidential authority and to justify dismissing federal workers who traditionally have been shielded by civil service protections.
“Ms. Comey’s termination—without cause, without advance notice, and without any opportunity to contest it—was unlawful and unconstitutional,” her lawsuit, which names Attorney General Pam Bondi as a defendant, alleges.
“In addition to her fundamental constitutional rights, Ms. Comey had statutory protections under the Civil Service Reform Act that governed how and why she could be terminated, including specific prohibitions against termination for discriminatory reasons such as political affiliation. Her termination violated every one of those protections.”
Comey noted that in normal circumstances, rather than suing, she would file a complaint with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which protects federal workers from unfair employment practices like politically motivated firings and reprisals for whistleblowing.
Since Trump cripplied the MSPB by dismissing one of its members, an appeal to the board “will be futile,” her lawsuit claims.