Former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey sued the Trump administration Monday in Manhattan federal court seeking reinstatement and a declaration that her July firing was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The lawsuit alleges Comey was removed for political reasons — either because she is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, whom President Trump dismissed in 2017, or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs. It names the Justice Department, the Executive Office of the President, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, the Office of Personnel Management and the United States as defendants and contends the termination violated civil service protections and the Constitution's separation-of-powers clause.
According to the complaint, Comey — an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York since 2015 who led the office's violent and organized crime unit — was notified by email with an attachment that she was being fired "(p)ursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States." The suit says she received no explanation and that her termination came the day after supervisors asked her to lead a major public-corruption case and three months after she received an "Outstanding" performance review.
The lawsuit recounts that Comey had successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases during her tenure and had worked on high-profile matters including the prosecutions of Ghislaine Maxwell and related work after the death of financier Jeffrey Epstein. It also notes Comey's prominent role in the prosecution of music executive Sean "Diddy" Combs, where she delivered closing arguments but faced criticism after the jury cleared Combs of the most serious counts.
Comey emailed colleagues on her final day in the U.S. attorney's office, warning that career prosecutors should not be fired "without reason" and urging staff not to let "fear... seep into the decisions of those who remain." The message called fear "the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought," and encouraged a renewed commitment to seeking justice for victims.
The complaint says Comey's dismissal followed a several-week campaign by right‑wing internet personality Laura Loomer urging her removal and came amid a spate of unexplained dismissals of prosecutors by the Justice Department, which the suit says raised concerns that statutory civil-service protections were being disregarded. It cites the Civil Service Reform Act's prohibitions on terminations for discriminatory reasons, including political affiliation, and alleges those protections were violated.
The suit also references public tensions between President Trump and James Comey, pointing to the former FBI director's public criticisms of the president and a May social-media post that some Trump allies interpreted as threatening. The filing alleges those circumstances, combined with other factors, contributed to Maurene Comey's termination.
Comey's complaint seeks reinstatement to her position and a court declaration that the firing was unlawful and a violation of constitutional limits on executive power. It additionally alleges she suffered reputational and economic harm, including lost or jeopardized employment and financial opportunities, and that defendants' actions could generate inaccurate information harmful to her future prospects.
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The case adds to ongoing debates about the politicization of federal prosecutorial decisions and the extent of presidential removal powers. Legal experts have previously questioned the handling of the Combs prosecution and broader changes within the Justice Department's personnel decisions have prompted scrutiny from lawmakers and civil‑service advocates concerned about the insulation of career prosecutors from political interference.