Judge Furman Orders DOJ to Reinstate Maurene Comey and Pay Back Wages

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled on Monday that the Department of Justice illegally dismissed Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. The court ordered the agency to pay her back wages dating to her termination in July 2025. Comey may return to her position as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York if she chooses to do so.

Comey served as a Manhattan federal prosecutor for approximately ten years before her departure. During that tenure, she handled high-profile cases against Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. The Trump administration’s Justice Department removed her from the role in July 2025, a decision made despite her history of receiving departmental accolades for her work.

She subsequently filed a lawsuit against the department and other defendants. The complaint argued that the dismissal was both unlawful and unconstitutional. It asserted that her firing stemmed from her relationship with her father, a prominent critic of President Trump. The elder Comey has faced two indictments under the current administration. The first case was dismissed. The second, which remains pending, alleges he threatened the president in a social media post featuring seashells.

In his opinion, Judge Furman wrote that the department "invented a new and expansive theory of executive power" in dismissing her. He stated that the action violated her constitutional right to due process. "To accept Defendants' argument would be to unsettle the very equilibrium established by this Nation's constitutional system," the judge wrote. The ruling adds to a growing list of legal challenges brought by federal prosecutors and former FBI agents alleging politically motivated dismissals under the Trump administration.

Comey’s attorneys issued a statement praising the decision. They said it reaffirms that the president must comply with the law as part of the Constitution's checks and balances. "This hard-earned victory belongs to Ms. Comey, to all civil servants, and to all fighting for the rule of law," her lawyers stated. The Justice Department said it disagreed with the decision and would appeal in due course.

The court’s order is not yet final. Judge Furman has not ruled on Comey’s First Amendment argument, which contends she was fired for politically protected speech. He plans to hear further briefings on that specific claim before making a final determination on that portion of the case.