Maurene Comey filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court in Manhattan seeking reinstatement to her position as an assistant U.S. attorney, alleging her July termination by the Trump administration was politically motivated and unconstitutional.
The complaint says Comey was dismissed because her father is James Comey, the former FBI director President Trump fired in 2017, "or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both." She asked the court to declare the firing unlawful and to order her reinstated, saying she was given no legitimate explanation for the action and that the termination violated the Constitution's separation-of-powers principle.
Comey's lawsuit says she received an email notifying her of her dismissal with an attachment stating she was being removed "(p)ursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States." The filing notes the dismissal came the day after supervisors asked her to lead a major public corruption case and roughly three months after she received an "Outstanding" performance review.
A career federal prosecutor who joined the U.S. attorney's office in 2015, Comey has worked on high-profile matters including prosecutions connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell; the complaint points out she helped secure Maxwell's prison sentence. More recently, she led the office's violent and organized crime unit and directed the prosecution of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs; the lawsuit acknowledges Comey faced criticism after Combs was cleared of the three most serious charges against him.
Named as defendants in the suit are the Justice Department, the Executive Office of the President, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, the Office of Personnel Management and the United States. The filing contends the termination flouts statutory protections under the Civil Service Reform Act, which bars removal for reasons tied to political affiliation and sets procedures governing federal employee discipline.
The complaint also recounts a several-week online campaign pushed by right-wing activist Laura Loomer calling for Comey's firing. It quotes a staff-wide email Comey sent as she departed the U.S. attorney's office, in which she urged colleagues "not [to] let fear seep into the decisions of those who remain," and warned that "fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought." The lawsuit quotes her concluding, "Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns in the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims."
The filing alleges Comey has suffered adverse employment and reputational consequences and that inaccurate or misleading information from defendants could harm future job prospects and background checks. The Justice Department declined through a spokesperson to comment.
Comey's father, James Comey, has been a frequent critic of Trump since his dismissal as FBI director. The lawsuit references a May social media post by James Comey that drew attention within the administration — an image of seashells arranged to spell "86 47" — and notes that the post and other public criticism have fueled animus. James Comey has denied advocating violence and has told law enforcement he did not intend harm; the filing notes that Secret Service agents monitored his travel at one point after the incident.
The complaint arrives amid a broader wave of unexplained departures among Justice Department prosecutors that legal observers have said raises concerns about adherence to civil service safeguards meant to prevent politically motivated removals. Comey's suit asks a federal judge to restore her to her prior role and to enjoin the government from carrying out similar politically based personnel actions against career prosecutors.
The case will proceed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where the court will determine whether the factual record supports Comey's claims that her termination was unlawful and whether equitable relief is appropriate.