Judge orders DOJ to pay Maurene Comey $157,000 for unlawful firing

A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice to pay $157,000 in back wages to former U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey. Judge Jesse Furman ruled Monday that the government's decision to fire the prosecutor in July 2025 was unlawful. The award covers the period from her termination on July 16, 2025, through December 20, 2025, when the court inferred she accepted another position.

Furman granted Comey retroactive reinstatement as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for that specific timeframe. The judge rejected the DOJ's argument that the Attorney General had the authority to dismiss her without cause. He also found that the department failed to follow the procedural protections required by the Civil Service Reform Act. Comey was not given advance written notice, a reasonable time to respond, or a written decision with specific reasons for her removal.

The ruling contradicts the Justice Department's earlier stance that then-Attorney General Pam Bondi could remove a federal prosecutor at will. The court noted that the DOJ admitted Comey's termination was not based on performance. Her supervisors had previously described her as a brilliant lawyer and an outstanding assistant U.S. Attorney. Furman called the government's statutory argument justifying the firing frivolous.

Comey's legal team described the outcome as a victory for civil servants and the rule of law. They argued that accepting the government's claim of unlimited executive power would unsettle the constitutional equilibrium established by the nation's system of checks and balances. The lawyers stated that the decision reaffirms that the President is not above the law.

The White House referred reporters to a statement from the DOJ's Rapid Response account on X. The department said it disagrees with the decision and believes it obstructs President Trump's constitutional authority. The DOJ stated it intends to appeal the ruling in due course. That appeal will occur after Furman issues a final judgment in the Manhattan-based case.

Before her firing, Comey handled high-profile prosecutions, including those against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean Combs. Her lawsuit alleged her termination stemmed from the president's longstanding animus toward her father, former FBI Director James Comey. The judge reserved judgment on her claim that the firing violated her First Amendment rights.

Furman gave Comey until November 9 to file arguments on why that claim should not be dismissed as moot given his order in her favor on other grounds. The case highlights the ongoing legal tensions between the executive branch and career federal prosecutors.